1. United States
2. Md.
3. Letter

The expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits for Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace plans at the end of 2025 will have significant consequences for healthcare affordability and coverage. Early insurer filings project that gross premiums will rise by around 4% on average due to the expiration of these credits, beyond expected annual premium increases. This increase stems from healthier individuals leaving the marketplace as costs rise, leaving a sicker overall risk pool. Some insurers even anticipate over 6% of their current marketplace enrollees dropping coverage altogether. The enhanced premium tax credits have played a vital role in making health coverage accessible, with ACA marketplace enrollment more than doubling since their introduction. Allowing their expiration will reverse this progress, driving up costs for the over 24 million Americans relying on these credits. On average, enrollee premium payments are projected to increase by over 75% without the enhanced credits. Extending the enhanced premium tax credits indefinitely is crucial to maintain affordable healthcare access and prevent widespread coverage losses, particularly among low- and middle-income families. The subsidies have proven highly effective in expanding coverage, and their loss risks leaving millions pricing out of comprehensive insurance. I urge you to prioritize healthcare affordability by acting to permanently extend these critical premium supports for ACA marketplace enrollees. Affordable coverage should remain a right, not just for the healthy and wealthy.