Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) speaks at a news conference with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on October 10, 2025.
'The Health of Millions Is at Stake': State Legislators Across US Blast GOP as Premiums Soar
"The solution is straightforward, and the deadline is imminent," state lawmakers write in a new letter to Republican leaders, blaming them for the "manufactured healthcare crisis."
Dozens of US state legislators have signed a scathing letter pushing congressional Republicans to immediately back an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to lapse at the end of the year, warning of devastating impacts on their constituents as premiums skyrocket.
The letter, provided exclusively to Common Dreams ahead of its official release, comes days before ACA open enrollment is set to begin in most states on November 1. The research group KFF found in an analysis published Tuesday that health insurers are jacking up premiums by 26% on average for the coming year—and most enrollees would face even higher costs if the ACA subsidies at the heart of the ongoing federal government shutdown are allowed to expire.
The state legislators, representing millions of people from Maine to Georgia to Michigan and other states, write in the new letter that Republicans in the US Congress are responsible for a "manufactured healthcare crisis" that's "particularly acute for younger Americans."
"Many are just beginning their careers, working in the gig economy, are self-employed, trying to start a small business, or are in positions requiring they purchase coverage on health care exchanges set up by the ACA," the lawmakers note. "Forcing them to go uninsured or pay exorbitant premiums could saddle them with medical debt that would haunt them for decades, stifling their ability to save, buy homes, and participate fully in our economy."
Among the 41 signatories of the letter, orchestrated by the advocacy group Defend America Action, are Maine House Speaker Ryan Fecteau (D-132) and Jeremy Moss (D-7), president pro tempore of the Michigan Senate. The letter is addressed to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.).
"It is a cruel and calculated decision that prioritizes billionaires' tax breaks over the health and financial well-being of the American people you are supposed to serve."
Without the enhanced ACA tax credits, many younger enrollees—who are healthier on average—could decide to drop coverage altogether, potentially leading to a dreaded "death spiral" of premium increases across the board. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated that more than 4.2 million people would become uninsured if the enhanced ACA tax credits lapse.
"Let us be clear: This is a conscious choice on your part to rip away healthcare from the American people," the state legislators write. "Allowing these credits to expire will dismantle the progress we have made and plunge Americans into financial instability and uncertainty. It is a cruel and calculated decision that prioritizes billionaires' tax breaks over the health and financial well-being of the American people you are supposed to serve."
"The solution is straightforward, and the deadline is imminent," they added. "You must immediately pass a clean extension of the enhanced ACA tax credits before open enrollment begins on November 1, after which it will be too late. The health of millions is at stake."
The state legislators' demand adds to the pressure congressional Republicans are already facing from their constituents across the nation as the lawmakers refuse to negotiate with their Democratic counterparts, who are calling for an extension of the ACA subsidies as a necessary condition of any deal to end the government shutdown.
"As town halls fill with frustrated voters and no clear Republican plan emerges, the issue appears to be gaining political strength heading into next year's midterm elections," the Associated Press reported Tuesday. Recent polling indicates widespread, cross-partisan concern about premium hikes among likely US voters.
"It is painfully clear that Republicans are not listening to folks back at home," Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said during a press conference on Tuesday. "Because what families nationwide are saying is: 'Please stop my premiums from doubling.' And what Republican leaders are saying? 'Not our problem, we never wanted to lower healthcare costs in the first place.'"
On top of the profound health implications of skyrocketing premiums and large-scale insurance loss, an expiration of the ACA tax credits could do major damage to the US economy.
An analysis released earlier this month by the Commonwealth Fund estimated that nearly 340,000 jobs would be lost across the US next year if the subsidies lapse.
Georgia, one of the states represented in the new letter, would lose 33,600 jobs in 2026, more than any other state except for Texas and Florida.
Urgent. It's never been this bad.
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission from the outset was simple. To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It’s never been this bad out there. And it’s never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed and doing some of its best and most important work, the threats we face are intensifying. Right now, with just four days to go in our Spring Campaign, we are not even halfway to our goal. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Can you make a gift right now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? There is no backup plan or rainy day fund. There is only you. —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Dozens of US state legislators have signed a scathing letter pushing congressional Republicans to immediately back an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to lapse at the end of the year, warning of devastating impacts on their constituents as premiums skyrocket.
The letter, provided exclusively to Common Dreams ahead of its official release, comes days before ACA open enrollment is set to begin in most states on November 1. The research group KFF found in an analysis published Tuesday that health insurers are jacking up premiums by 26% on average for the coming year—and most enrollees would face even higher costs if the ACA subsidies at the heart of the ongoing federal government shutdown are allowed to expire.
The state legislators, representing millions of people from Maine to Georgia to Michigan and other states, write in the new letter that Republicans in the US Congress are responsible for a "manufactured healthcare crisis" that's "particularly acute for younger Americans."
"Many are just beginning their careers, working in the gig economy, are self-employed, trying to start a small business, or are in positions requiring they purchase coverage on health care exchanges set up by the ACA," the lawmakers note. "Forcing them to go uninsured or pay exorbitant premiums could saddle them with medical debt that would haunt them for decades, stifling their ability to save, buy homes, and participate fully in our economy."
Among the 41 signatories of the letter, orchestrated by the advocacy group Defend America Action, are Maine House Speaker Ryan Fecteau (D-132) and Jeremy Moss (D-7), president pro tempore of the Michigan Senate. The letter is addressed to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.).
"It is a cruel and calculated decision that prioritizes billionaires' tax breaks over the health and financial well-being of the American people you are supposed to serve."
Without the enhanced ACA tax credits, many younger enrollees—who are healthier on average—could decide to drop coverage altogether, potentially leading to a dreaded "death spiral" of premium increases across the board. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated that more than 4.2 million people would become uninsured if the enhanced ACA tax credits lapse.
"Let us be clear: This is a conscious choice on your part to rip away healthcare from the American people," the state legislators write. "Allowing these credits to expire will dismantle the progress we have made and plunge Americans into financial instability and uncertainty. It is a cruel and calculated decision that prioritizes billionaires' tax breaks over the health and financial well-being of the American people you are supposed to serve."
"The solution is straightforward, and the deadline is imminent," they added. "You must immediately pass a clean extension of the enhanced ACA tax credits before open enrollment begins on November 1, after which it will be too late. The health of millions is at stake."
The state legislators' demand adds to the pressure congressional Republicans are already facing from their constituents across the nation as the lawmakers refuse to negotiate with their Democratic counterparts, who are calling for an extension of the ACA subsidies as a necessary condition of any deal to end the government shutdown.
"As town halls fill with frustrated voters and no clear Republican plan emerges, the issue appears to be gaining political strength heading into next year's midterm elections," the Associated Press reported Tuesday. Recent polling indicates widespread, cross-partisan concern about premium hikes among likely US voters.
"It is painfully clear that Republicans are not listening to folks back at home," Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said during a press conference on Tuesday. "Because what families nationwide are saying is: 'Please stop my premiums from doubling.' And what Republican leaders are saying? 'Not our problem, we never wanted to lower healthcare costs in the first place.'"
On top of the profound health implications of skyrocketing premiums and large-scale insurance loss, an expiration of the ACA tax credits could do major damage to the US economy.
An analysis released earlier this month by the Commonwealth Fund estimated that nearly 340,000 jobs would be lost across the US next year if the subsidies lapse.
Georgia, one of the states represented in the new letter, would lose 33,600 jobs in 2026, more than any other state except for Texas and Florida.
Dozens of US state legislators have signed a scathing letter pushing congressional Republicans to immediately back an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to lapse at the end of the year, warning of devastating impacts on their constituents as premiums skyrocket.
The letter, provided exclusively to Common Dreams ahead of its official release, comes days before ACA open enrollment is set to begin in most states on November 1. The research group KFF found in an analysis published Tuesday that health insurers are jacking up premiums by 26% on average for the coming year—and most enrollees would face even higher costs if the ACA subsidies at the heart of the ongoing federal government shutdown are allowed to expire.
The state legislators, representing millions of people from Maine to Georgia to Michigan and other states, write in the new letter that Republicans in the US Congress are responsible for a "manufactured healthcare crisis" that's "particularly acute for younger Americans."
"Many are just beginning their careers, working in the gig economy, are self-employed, trying to start a small business, or are in positions requiring they purchase coverage on health care exchanges set up by the ACA," the lawmakers note. "Forcing them to go uninsured or pay exorbitant premiums could saddle them with medical debt that would haunt them for decades, stifling their ability to save, buy homes, and participate fully in our economy."
Among the 41 signatories of the letter, orchestrated by the advocacy group Defend America Action, are Maine House Speaker Ryan Fecteau (D-132) and Jeremy Moss (D-7), president pro tempore of the Michigan Senate. The letter is addressed to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.).
"It is a cruel and calculated decision that prioritizes billionaires' tax breaks over the health and financial well-being of the American people you are supposed to serve."
Without the enhanced ACA tax credits, many younger enrollees—who are healthier on average—could decide to drop coverage altogether, potentially leading to a dreaded "death spiral" of premium increases across the board. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated that more than 4.2 million people would become uninsured if the enhanced ACA tax credits lapse.
"Let us be clear: This is a conscious choice on your part to rip away healthcare from the American people," the state legislators write. "Allowing these credits to expire will dismantle the progress we have made and plunge Americans into financial instability and uncertainty. It is a cruel and calculated decision that prioritizes billionaires' tax breaks over the health and financial well-being of the American people you are supposed to serve."
"The solution is straightforward, and the deadline is imminent," they added. "You must immediately pass a clean extension of the enhanced ACA tax credits before open enrollment begins on November 1, after which it will be too late. The health of millions is at stake."
The state legislators' demand adds to the pressure congressional Republicans are already facing from their constituents across the nation as the lawmakers refuse to negotiate with their Democratic counterparts, who are calling for an extension of the ACA subsidies as a necessary condition of any deal to end the government shutdown.
"As town halls fill with frustrated voters and no clear Republican plan emerges, the issue appears to be gaining political strength heading into next year's midterm elections," the Associated Press reported Tuesday. Recent polling indicates widespread, cross-partisan concern about premium hikes among likely US voters.
"It is painfully clear that Republicans are not listening to folks back at home," Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said during a press conference on Tuesday. "Because what families nationwide are saying is: 'Please stop my premiums from doubling.' And what Republican leaders are saying? 'Not our problem, we never wanted to lower healthcare costs in the first place.'"
On top of the profound health implications of skyrocketing premiums and large-scale insurance loss, an expiration of the ACA tax credits could do major damage to the US economy.
An analysis released earlier this month by the Commonwealth Fund estimated that nearly 340,000 jobs would be lost across the US next year if the subsidies lapse.
Georgia, one of the states represented in the new letter, would lose 33,600 jobs in 2026, more than any other state except for Texas and Florida.