1. United States
2. Va.
3. Letter

deeply about health access and fiscal responsibility. As Congress considers the upcoming government funding bill, I urge you to permanently extend the enhanced ACA premium subsidies and to pair that extension with meaningful reforms that address the inflated cost of health care in this country. These subsidies have been a lifeline for millions of Americans, including many families in Virginia. According to the Congressional Budget Office, letting them expire could leave over 4 million people uninsured and drive up premiums by over $1,200 per person annually. No one should be forced to choose between a doctor’s visit and groceries. At the same time, we can’t ignore the elephant in the room: our health care system is overpriced and unsustainable.The U.S. spends nearly double what other developed countries spend on health care—with worse outcomes. It’s time for Congress to address this head-on by implementing site-neutral payments, allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices more quickly, increasing hospital price transparency, and curbing anti-competitive mergers. Subsidies without reform are a short-term patch. Reform without subsidies leaves people behind. We need both. Please be a champion for real, lasting change. I hope I can count on you to support a budget bill that makes ACA subsidies permanent and tackles the root causes of health care inflation. Millions of families—and your constituents—are counting on it.