AS OPEN ENROLLMENT BEGINS, GOVERNOR MILLS URGES CONGRESS TO EXTEND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT TAX CREDITS

The following information was released by the office of the Governor of Maine:

Governor Janet Mills issued the following statement ahead of Open Enrollment for health insurance through Maine's Affordable Care Act Marketplace, which begins tomorrow, Saturday, November 1:

"Across our state, Maine people with health insurance through Maine's ACA marketplace are seeing their premiums skyrocket for next year -- and for no good reason. It's frustrating to me because we all know these increases could be avoided in part if Republicans in Congress just stepped up to do the commonsense thing: extend the enhanced Federal tax credits. To me, this is pretty straightforward: Maine people, like those across the country, want affordable health care, they want to feed our most vulnerable, and they want a government that is open and that works for them. Republicans -- who control the White House, U.S. Senate, and the U.S. House -- should stop standing in the way of these basic things."

Governor Mills has repeatedly warned that failing to extend Federal Enhanced Premium Tax Credits could result in a substantial increase in monthly health insurance premiums for Maine people. On average, households receiving enhanced premium tax credits will see premiums rise by 117 percent from 2025 rates, with some households facing increases exceeding 400 percent.

Today, 85 percent of the 61,000 people insured through Maine's state-based health insurance marketplace, CoverME.gov, receive a tax credit to reduce their monthly premium cost -- more than 83 percent of whom are low or middle-income earners now facing increases in groceries, car repairs, and other daily expenses of living. Experts have warned that individuals leaving the marketplace could lead to increased premiums for those who receive insurance through other means.

Due to Republican refusal to keep health care affordable for millions of Americans, the Federal shutdown has threatened to cease food benefits for 170,000 Maine people -- and more than 40 million across the nation -- on Saturday.

This afternoon, the Governor applauded two Federal court rulings to compel the U.S. Department of Agriculture to release Congressional authorized contingency funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and called on the Department to release the funds immediately. Earlier this week, Governor Mills joined governors from 20 other states on a letter urging the President to release the funds.

On Wednesday, Governor Mills announced $1.25 million in funding to Maine's food pantries and other anti-hunger organizations to support Maine families, children, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities who rely on SNAP in the event of a funding lapse.