Source: Roll Call

Posted September 18, 2024 at 7:15am

House and Senate Democrats are pushing leadership to quickly pass legislation to permanently expand subsidies on the health care exchanges -- ideally by the end of the year. Forty-one Senate Democrats, led by New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, and 154 House Democrats, led by Lauren Underwood of Illinois, sent a letter to leadership Wednesday morning urging their respective chambers to move "as soon as possible."

Enhancements to the premium subsidies enacted under the 2010 health care law expire at the end of 2025. Congress last renewed the expanded subsidies as part of President Joe Biden's 2022 reconciliation package. Those subsidies aim to help low-income individuals who don't qualify for Medicaid in states that did not expand Medicaid to qualify for less expensive health insurance.

Since then, a record 21.4 million Americans have signed up for health coverage on the exchanges this year, the majority of whom qualify for subsidies. If the expanded tax credits end in 2025, as many as 3 million Americans could become uninsured and 20 million Americans could see premium increases, according to the Democrats.

"It is clear that the enhanced [tax credits] have proven to be an overwhelming success, and, as millions of Americans face an increase in their insurance costs, it is time to make the investment permanent," the Democrats wrote.

Read more: https://rollcall.com/2024/09/18/house-senate-democrats-renew-health-care-subsidies-push/