1. United States
2. N.C.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to vote in favor of extending Affordable Care Act subsidies when Congress takes up this critical issue the week of January 5, 2026. The expiration of these subsidies at the end of 2025 has created a healthcare crisis affecting millions of Americans who now face impossible choices between paying for coverage and meeting basic needs. The numbers tell a devastating story. Without subsidies, monthly healthcare costs have risen by an average of 114 percent according to KFF. Adrienne Martin, a 47-year-old Texas mother, saw her premium jump from $630 to $2,400 monthly. Her husband requires IV medication costing $70,000 monthly to treat a blood-clotting disease, so going without insurance is not an option they can safely consider. Yet paying $30,000 annually in premiums is equally impossible. Maddie Bannister in California faces an increase from $124 to $908 monthly, an $11,000 annual cost that will derail her family's ability to save for a home. Stephanie Petersen in Illinois is being forced back onto Medicaid after her premium increased from $75 to $580 monthly. More than 27 million Americans will be without health insurance in 2026, and experts predict this number will grow as costs continue rising. About 24 million Americans purchase insurance through the ACA marketplace, with the majority relying on tax credits to make coverage affordable. These are working families who earn too much for Medicaid but cannot afford unsubsidized premiums. The three-year extension would cost $35 billion annually, a reasonable investment in the health and economic security of millions of Americans. As Republican Congressman Mike Lawler noted, three-quarters of ACA enrollees are in states won by Donald Trump. This is not a partisan issue but a matter of basic healthcare access. I urge you to vote yes on extending ACA subsidies and restore affordable health coverage for millions of Americans who are counting on Congress to act.