Tariffs Are Driving Healthcare Costs Up in These States — Is Yours Affected?
Written by
Gabrielle Olya
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Molly Sullivan
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Many Americans are bracing for higher prices on consumer goods due to tariffs, but they might not be aware that tariffs could also cause their health insurance costs to increase as well. That’s because tariffs on imported medical equipment, pharmaceuticals and raw materials used to manufacture medical goods — like steel and plastic — are expected to increase costs for healthcare providers and insurers. These added expenses can be passed on to consumers in the form of higher premiums.
“Providers will consider increasing their prices to compensate for the increase in costs of goods they need,” said Alan Cohen, co-founder of Centivo, which provides health plans for self-funded employers.
In some states, those price hikes are already showing up in 2026 rate filings — see if yours is one of them.
States Seeing 2026 Health Insurance Premium Hikes Linked to Tariffs
Health insurance companies in several states have already announced premium increases tied to the impact of tariffs. These are the states that are currently affected, according to a KFF report:
- Oregon: UnitedHealthcare of Oregon announced a 2.2% increase to its 2026 premiums “to account for uncertainty regarding tariffs and/or the onshoring of manufacturing and their impact on total medical costs, most notably on pharmaceuticals.”
- Maryland: Optimum Choice of Maryland announced it will be raising premiums by 2.4%.
- New York: Independent Health Benefits Corporation of New York and UnitedHealthcare of New York are raising premiums by 2.9% and 3.6%, respectively.
More states are likely to follow suit. “We can definitely expect to see more states announce price hikes,” Cohen said.
How To Lower Your Health Insurance Costs Despite Tariff-Driven Increases
Although you can’t control the premium your healthcare provider charges, there are things you can do to keep your out-of-pocket costs as low as possible. Cohen recommended the following:
- Review and optimize health insurance plans. Shop around during open enrollments and compare plans.
- Switch to generic or alternative medications.
- Use direct primary care or low-cost clinics.
- Leverage an HSA or FSA.
- Be proactive with preventative care.
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