New Rules, New Risks: Why You Should Review Your Marketplace Plan with Us This Year
Big changes are coming to the Health Insurance Marketplace for 2026, and they could seriously affect your coverage, tax credit eligibility, and even your enrollment status. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently finalized a new set of rules designed to protect the integrity of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but it also means the stakes are higher if you're applying on your own or updating your coverage without help.
Here’s what you need to know, and why working with a licensed agent like us at Woodside Financial Services is more important than ever.
What Changed
The new Marketplace Integrity and Affordability Final Rule from CMS introduces several key updates:
Stricter safeguards to stop improper enrollments and misrepresented information
Tighter verification standards for household income, employer coverage, and family size
Closer oversight of Special Enrollment Periods, such as changes in income, job loss, or family status
More responsibility placed on consumers to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of their application
These updates are meant to reduce fraud and keep premiums more stable. However, for everyday families, it also means there are more opportunities to make an honest mistake and lose coverage or financial help as a result.
Why You Need to Apply Early This Year
With added documentation requirements and more verification steps, Marketplace processing times are likely to increase. If you're applying for 2026 coverage, we strongly recommend getting started as early as possible.
At Woodside Financial, we can:
Review your income, household, and subsidy eligibility
Help you avoid common mistakes that cause delays or denials
Compare plans that work with your preferred doctors and prescriptions
Ensure your tax credit is accurate so you avoid surprises at tax time
We’re already seeing signs that many people could be caught off guard by these changes. Early preparation is key.
Let’s Do It Together
Even if you've applied on your own in the past, this year is different. With stricter rules and more opportunities for errors, getting help is not just helpful, it's essential.
We’ve been helping Wisconsin families make confident insurance choices for over 30 years. Let us walk you through your 2026 Marketplace application to make sure everything is accurate, complete, and submitted on time.
Call us today or schedule your appointment. The earlier you start, the better your options will be, and the more peace of mind you’ll have heading into the new year.
