“There’s no question that more people will end up with these kinds of plans if the premium tax credits are not extended,” says Claire Heyison, senior policy analyst for health insurance and marketplace policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a research and policy institute.

HSAs are tax-advantaged savings accounts for medical expenses that can accumulate funds through contributions. They can be invested after reaching a minimum. These accounts are often seen as retirement vehicles because they can grow over time, and after age 65, that money can be withdrawn for nonmedical expenses without penalty.

Hospitals or clinics may offer cash-only discounts to people who pay without insurance. But experts warn that health care isn't the place to bargain for the best deal.

Shoppers can get a sense for their options by checking their state marketplace. You can find that by visiting healthcare.gov. Collins said people should start there, not Google. Search engine results could connect you with someone selling more limited, short-term insurance.

“Health insurance in America is very expensive, because health care is very expensive,” said Katherine Baicker, a health economist who is the provost at the University of Chicago. “And that’s true in every market. What’s different is who is writing the check, and how easily perceived the full cost is to the individual who is being insured.”

For many young adults, turning 26 represents a new era of post-adolescence shaped by the dreaded question: What about health insurance? That’s the cut-off age dictated by the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010, when insurance issuers are no longer required to offer dependents coverage.

In Massachusetts, the federal government spends $1.5 billion annually to subsidize health coverage for residents. At the end of the year, $425 million of those federal subsidies will evaporate — unless Congress takes action.

What many in Colorado pay for health insurance will see a big increase in 2026 if Congress does not extend enhanced federal subsidies.