Congress Passes Affordable Care Act (ACA)Extension

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Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

A Democrat-led bill to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits for three years advanced after 218 members of Congress—every House Democrat and four Republicans—signed a discharge petition forcing a floor vote. The legislation has now passed the House and will move to the Senate for consideration.

As of January 1, Affordable Care Act tax credits that saved hardworking families thousands of dollars expired due to inaction by Congress, noted the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) in a statement. As a result, nearly 22 million Americans—more than 90 percent of Marketplace enrollees—are now facing higher health care premiums after Trump and congressional Republicans cut health care support for working families to pay for tax breaks for billionaires.

The health care crisis is severe. Without these tax credits, enrollees are seeing their annual health care costs more than double—an average increase of 114 percent, or $1,106. As premiums rise, an estimated 15 million Americans are expected to lose coverage in the coming years. Nearly six in ten Marketplace enrollees say they could not afford even a $300 annual increase in health care costs without seriously straining their household finances.

• A 60-year-old couple earning $85,000 would see monthly Marketplace premiums skyrocket from $602 to $2,647—an annual increase of roughly $24,500.
• A family of four earning $130,000 would face premiums jumping from $921 to $1,992 per month, costing about $12,900 more per year.
• A family of four earning $66,000 would see monthly premiums triple from $121 to $373, an annual increase of about $3,025.
• A couple earning $44,000 would experience premiums rising from $85 to $253 per month, adding $2,013 annually.
• A single individual earning $32,000 would see monthly premiums increase from $58 to $180, resulting in an annual increase of $1,468.

“President Trump and Republicans have created a health care crisis, forcing millions of hardworking Americans to pay double, triple, or even quadruple more for health care premiums as they allowed the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits to expire,” said Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06), Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC). “However, thanks to the efforts of House Democrats and a few Republicans, we have advanced legislation that would restore the ACA tax credits that help people afford health insurance, including the 1.5 million Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders who receive coverage through the ACA. The Senate must take up this bill immediately to reverse these outrageous premium hikes and deliver relief to working families across the country.”

This text was edited with the assistance of an AI tool and has been reviewed and edited for accuracy and clarity by India Currents.