ICYMI: New Data Shows 267,000 Veterans to Lose Health Care If ACA Enhanced Premium Tax Credits Expire

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, lead author of bicameral legislation that would permanently extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits, highlighted new data from the Urban Institute showing that 267,000 veterans who use ACA enhanced premium tax credits will be priced out of health care coverage if Congress does not extend these tax credits before the end of the year.

“Over 600,000 veterans are projected to use ACA enhanced premium tax credits to access affordable health care coverage this year - but if Republicans fail to work with us to extend these tax credits, 267,000 of those veterans will lose their health care,” said Senator Shaheen. “That’s no way to treat the Americans who put everything on the line to serve our nation. We need to act now to extend these tax credits so that thousands of veterans don’t get priced out of the health care.”

If Republicans allow the enhanced premium tax credits to expire, annual out-of-pocket premium costs will more than double for ACA Marketplace enrollees on average. Without extension of these tax credits, 4 million Americans could lose their coverage and 20 million more could see significantly higher premiums.

Shaheen is leading efforts in Congress to make health care more affordable through the preservation and extension of enhanced premium tax credits. Shaheen’s first bill introduction this Congress was her landmark Health Care Affordability Act—bicameral legislation with Senator Baldwin and U.S. Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) to permanently extend the tax credits for Marketplace coverage that have lowered health care costs for millions of Americans.

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