Navigating the ACA: Why Silver Plans Now Cost More Than Gold

Published October 13, 2026 · Featuring Tony LoSasso of University of Wisconsin-Madison

Tony LoSasso, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, discusses rising costs of silver health insurance plans in the ACA marketplace in a recent pod

Tony LoSasso, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, discusses the implications of the Affordable Care Act on healthcare costs, regulation, and premium tax credits in the latest episode of the Health Policy Podcast. The conversation highlights how silver plans have become more expensive than gold plans, revealing complexities in healthcare pricing.

WASHINGTON — October 13, 2026 — In a new episode of the Health Policy Podcast, host Bryan Hyde interviews Tony LoSasso, a health economist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. They explore the unexpected rise in costs of silver health insurance plans compared to gold plans under the Affordable Care Act, examining the impact of premium tax credits and healthcare regulation.

LoSasso explains that the pricing dynamics of health insurance have shifted due to misaligned incentives and policy design flaws. He states, "This is not a fraud thing. This is not a— there's not really even a quote unquote bad guy in this. It really is just about misaligned incentives and sort of bad policy design." The episode delves into how the inflation of silver premiums affects the overall cost of healthcare for consumers.

The discussion also addresses potential solutions to stabilize the health insurance market. LoSasso suggests that funding cost-sharing subsidies directly, rather than embedding them in premiums, could lead to lower silver plan costs. He notes, "If you do that, if you fund the subsidies outside of this shoehorning it into the premium, the CBO and others have calculated that you actually save money." This approach could alleviate the financial burden on consumers and taxpayers alike.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin. It is known for its strong emphasis on research, education, and public service, offering a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs across various disciplines.

About the Health Policy Podcast

The Health Policy Podcast focuses on the intersection of healthcare policy, economics, and public health. The show features expert interviews and discussions on pressing issues affecting healthcare systems and aims to inform listeners about the complexities of health policy and its impact on society.

About University of Wisconsin-Madison

Founded in 1848, the University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public land-grant university and major research institution in Madison, Wisconsin. Its mission combines education, research, and public service, guided by the Wisconsin Idea—the principle that the university’s work should improve lives beyond the classroom and benefit communities throughout Wisconsin and around the world

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About the Guest

Tony LoSasso — Professor

Tony Lo Sasso is the Robert F. and Sylvia T. Wagner Professor of Public Affairs in the La Follette School of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His research spans multiple areas, including health and labor economics, health policy, and health services and outcomes research. Lo Sasso has secured funding from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and numerous private foundations. With over 80 publications, he is highly interested in how government policies influence private-sector decisions and how market forces can be used to improve the healthcare sector and, ultimately, the health of the American public.

About the Health Policy Podcast

The Health Policy Podcast hosts conversations on energy, infrastructure, policy and economic growth — interviewing the operators, regulators, and innovators powering America's grid, gas, nuclear, and industrial future. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.