2026 ACA & Medicare Cost Projections

The Friday Five for August 15, 2025: Threads, Waze, AEP Countdown CMS 2026 Medicare Part D Bid Information Medicare Part B Cost Projections 2026 COLA Estimate CY2026 ACA Premium Rate Filings   Get Connected: 🤝Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast! 💌Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to [email protected] or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.   Threads, Waze, AEP Countdown: “Number of Threads Users.” Backlinko.Com, Backlinko, 17 July 2025, backlinko.com/threads-users. Mendes, Marcus. “Threads Crosses 400M Monthly Active Users as It Gains on X.” 9to5Mac.Com, 9to5Mac, 13 Aug. 2025, 9to5mac.com/2025/08/12/threads-crosses-400m-monthly-active-users-as-it-gains-on-x/. Price, Emily. “Threads Just Achieved Its Biggest Milestone Yet.” FastCompany.Com, Fast Company, 12 Aug. 2025, www.fastcompany.com/91384230/meta-threads-just-achieved-its-biggest-milestone-yet. Malik, Aisha. “Threads Now Has More than 400 Million Monthly Active Users.” TechCrunch.Com, TechCrunch, 12 Aug. 2025, techcrunch.com/2025/08/12/threads-now-has-more-than-400-million-monthly-active-users/. “Waze Will End Updates for Older Android Devices Soon.” 9to5google.Com, Google, 11 Aug. 2025, 9to5google.com/2025/08/11/waze-will-end-updates-for-older-android-devices-soon/.   CMS 2026 Medicare Part D Bid Information: “2026 Medicare Part D Bid Information and Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration Parameters.” CMS.Gov, CMS, 28 July 2025, www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2026-medicare-part-d-bid-information-and-part-d-premium-stabilization-demonstration-parameters. 2026 Medicare Part D Bid Info Likely Means Higher Premiums & Plan Disruption — Here's Why The 2026 Medicare Part D Redesign Updates Agents Should Know   Medicare Part B Cost Projections: “2025 Medicare Trustees Report.” CMS.Gov, CMS, 18 June 2025, www.cms.gov/oact/tr/2025. LeValley, Donna. “Seven Medicare Changes Coming in 2026.” Kiplinger.Com, Kiplinger, 8 Aug. 2025, www.kiplinger.com/retirement/medicare/medicare-changes-coming-in-2026.   2026 COLA Estimate: “2025 Medicare Trustees Report.” CMS.Gov, CMS, 18 June 2025, www.cms.gov/oact/tr/2025. LeValley, Donna. “Seven Medicare Changes Coming in 2026.” Kiplinger.Com, Kiplinger, 8 Aug. 2025, www.kiplinger.com/retirement/medicare/medicare-changes-coming-in-2026.   CY2026 ACA Premium Rate Filings: Minemyer, Paige. “KFF Analysis Finds a Median ACA Premium Hike of 18% for 2026.” Fiercehealthcare.Com, FierceHealthcare, 8 Aug. 2025, www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/kff-analysis-finds-median-aca-premium-hike-18-2026. Ortaliza, Jared, Matt McGough, Kaitlyn Vu, et al. “How Much and Why ACA Marketplace Premiums Are Going up in 2026.” Healthsystemtracker.Org, KFF, 6 Aug. 2025, www.healthsystemtracker.org/brief/how-much-and-why-aca-marketplace-premiums-are-going-up-in-2026/.   Resources: 5 Things About ICHRA 2026 D-SNP Market Snapshot 2026 Midwest D-SNP Market Opportunity Ritter Insurance Marketing Certification Center Should You Hire an Assistant for Your Insurance Business? What New Insurance Agents Need to Know   Follow Us on Social! Ritter on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/RitterIM Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/ritter.insurance.marketing/ LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/company/ritter-insurance-marketing TikTok, https://www.tiktok.com/@ritterim X, https://x.com/RitterIM and YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/user/RitterInsurance     Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ and Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel  Tina on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-lamoreux-6384b7199/   Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.