Letter: Congress must extend ACA premium tax credits

For months, families across the country have been warning Congress about a looming health care crisis, and now we're down to the wire. The Affordable Care Act premium tax credits that make health insurance affordable for millions of Americans are set to expire at the end of 2025. If Congress fails to act, the consequences will be swift and devastating.

On Jan. 1, millions of families could see their monthly health insurance premiums double or even quadruple. Nearly 5 million people, including children and people with pre-existing conditions, risk losing coverage altogether. This isn't a hypothetical threat; it's the direct result of congressional inaction.

Health care costs are already straining household budgets alongside rising prices for food, housing and child care. Allowing premiums to skyrocket would force families into impossible choices: paying rent or keeping health insurance, filling prescriptions or putting food on the table.

The ripple effects won't stop with individual households. When millions lose coverage, hospitals and clinics — especially in rural and underserved areas — face serious financial strain or closure. Researchers estimate Americans would pay $23 billion more just to keep the same coverage they rely on today, harming both our economy and our communities.

The solution is clear. The House has shown majority support for a clean extension of these tax credits. Now the Senate must finish the job.

Rising health care costs are the result of policy choices. Congress must choose to extend the ACA premium tax credits and protect affordable health care without delay.

Maria Taylor

Davenport