1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

I am writing as one of your constituents to express strong support for extending the enhanced premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Recent data and insurer filings make clear that allowing these enhanced subsidies to expire at the end of 2025 will cause serious harm to many families—raising costs, reducing coverage, and making healthcare less accessible. I want to share some of what I’ve learned—through research by Peterson‑KFF—and explain why this issue matters deeply to me (and to many others in our district). Since the American Rescue Plan Act introduced enhanced premium tax credits, enrollment in ACA Marketplaces has more than doubled—from about 11.4 million people in 2020 to 24.3 million in 2025. If these enhanced credits expire as scheduled, consumers will see, on average, over 75% increase in what they pay for their monthly premiums after tax credits. Gross premiums (what insurers charge before subsidies) are also expected to rise—by around 7.9%, on average—because many healthier, lower‑cost enrollees will drop their coverage, leaving a “sicker” risk pool. Some insurers project that a significant portion of enrollees will become uninsured as financial burdens increase. The increase in net premiums (after tax credits) will severely strain household budgets. Many people who are just above poverty lines (or in the “middle class”) will face premiums they cannot afford. People choosing between paying for basics (rent, food, utilities) vs. health insurance may opt to drop or go without coverage. This will lead to more uninsurance, more emergency room use, worse health outcomes, and ultimately higher costs elsewhere. Loss of coverage and worse financial barriers hit communities of color, people with chronic illness, and lower‑income households disproportionately. What I urge you to do - Support legislation that extends the enhanced premium tax credits through 2026 (or longer), so people aren’t forced to absorb large premium increases or lose coverage. - Ensure that any budget or reconciliation package includes provisions to maintain or even strengthen these credits, especially for people with incomes between 100‑400% of the poverty level, as well as those above that level who benefited from expanded eligibility. - Promote better awareness among constituents about how these changes will affect them personally—so people are not blindsided by rate hikes. As your constituent, I believe extending these enhanced credits is not only fiscally responsible (because healthier, insured populations reduce emergency and uncompensated care costs), but also morally right: no one should go without care or be financially devastated just because the subsidies that make insurance affordable are allowed to lapse.