Federal tax credits that help people pay for health plans on the open marketplace are set to expire in 2026, and that means insurance costs for many will go up.

That’s especially true in southern Illinois, where certain insurance customers will see some of the highest premium hikes in the country when they start shopping for plans on Nov. 1, when open enrollment begins.

Without the subsidies, some families shopping on the Illinois health insurance marketplace will see a sixfold increase in monthly premiums.

“Southern rural communities will see much higher increases,” said state Department of Insurance Director Ann Gillespie.

“Some [consumers] are going to lose their coverage entirely,” she said. “But everybody is going to be hit by this.”

According to data from the nonprofit health or

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