What are the average annual premiums for ACA marketplace plans in 2023?

1. What the headline 2023 numbers actually measure

When you read reports that “premiums rose in 2023,” they almost always refer to the price insurers list for plans — commonly the benchmark second‑lowest‑cost Silver plan — before any tax credits are applied; Axios cites the benchmark silver rate moving from $438 to $453 between 2022 and 2023 for a 40‑year‑old nonsmoker ^[1]. KFF maintains a state‑by‑state breakdown of average monthly marketplace premiums by metal tier, which is the primary repository for those list‑price comparisons ^[2].

2. The size of the 2023 increase and how analysts describe it

Analysts characterized 2023 as a modest uptick after several years of relative stability: the Urban Institute / RWJF finding reported a 3.4% average monthly premium increase between 2022 and 2023 (illustrated by the silver benchmark move from $438 to $453) ^[1]. Other trackers (KFF state tables) provide the underlying plan‑level entries and let researchers compute averages by tier or state ^[2].

3. Geographic variation: big differences across states and plans

Not all markets moved the same way. Axios highlights that some states, like West Virginia and Wyoming, had average benchmark premiums “over $800” in 2023, showing major regional variation in benchmark premiums ^[1]. KFF’s state‑level tables let you see those differences in more detail rather than relying on a single national average ^[2].

4. What consumers typically pay versus listed premiums

Many marketplace enrollees do not pay the full listed monthly premium because advanced premium tax credits (APTCs) reduce out‑of‑pocket costs for qualifying households. Reporting across 2021–2024 shows the enhanced credits lowered average enrollee payments substantially — for example, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities finds the enhancements reduced average enrollee premiums by roughly $700–$800 in recent years — meaning the headline premium is not the same as what most people paid ^{[3] [4]}. The Axios piece notes that the average silver benchmark is what feeds subsidy calculations, and that the premium change is not the same as the change in what subsidized enrollees pay ^[1].

5. Why 2023 premiums rose: inflation, insurer entries, and uncertainty

Reporting attributes the 2023 premium rise to broader medical cost pressures and insurer behavior. Axios cites inflation and higher health spending as drivers and also notes market dynamics — more commercial insurers entering some markets and Medicaid plans often undercutting prices — as factors shaping premium levels ^[1]. Analysts also flagged policy uncertainty about subsidy extensions as a complicating factor for insurer pricing decisions in 2023 ^[1].

6. Limits of the available reporting and what’s not stated

Available sources do not provide a single definitive “average annual premium paid by enrollees in 2023” that accounts for subsidies, age, household composition, and state; instead they offer list‑price averages by metal tier (KFF) and sample benchmark movements (Urban Institute / RWJF via Axios) ^{[2] [1]}. If you seek an average of actual after‑subsidy payments for enrollees in 2023, the cited sources do not report that aggregated number directly ^{[2] [1]}.

7. Two viewpoints to weigh when interpreting the numbers

Policy analysts emphasizing affordability point to the effect of the enhanced premium tax credits (ARPA/IRA) in lowering out‑of‑pocket costs and expanding coverage — CBPP and other groups report sizable per‑enrollee savings and record enrollment growth tied to those enhancements ^{[3] [4]}. Insurer and market‑behavior analyses emphasize that underlying medical inflation and regional market structure pushed listed premiums up modestly in 2023, and that uncertainty about continuing subsidies can amplify insurer rate increases ^{[1] [5]}.

8. Practical takeaway and where to look next

For a quick national snapshot of listed 2023 marketplace premiums by metal tier, consult KFF’s “Average Monthly Marketplace Premiums by Metal Tier” tables ^[2]. For the commonly cited 2023 benchmark change and context about causes, see the Urban Institute / RWJF synthesis reported by Axios, which documents the 3.4% rise and regional variability ^[1]. If you want estimates of what enrollees actually paid after tax credits in 2023, specify that and I will extract or compute it only from sources that provide those subsidy‑adjusted totals — current sources above do not supply a single national post‑subsidy annual average ^{[2] [1]}.