ICYMI: Republican Insurance Commissioner and National Leader of State Insurance Commissioners Urges Congress to Move Immediately to Extend ACA Tax Credits Before November 1 Open Enrollment Deadline

**With open enrollment beginning on November 1 and millions of Americans facing skyrocketing health care costs, North Dakota’s Republican Insurance Commissioner called on lawmakers to “do this now.”**

(Washington, DC) – In case you missed it: On Saturday North Dakota’s Republican Insurance Commissioner Jon Godfread called on lawmakers in Congress to act quickly to extend the soon-expiring Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits before open enrollment begins on November 1. Commissioner Godfread, a statewide elected Republican and President of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, told NPR that there are consequences of waiting to act until December.

Key points from Commissioner Jon Godfread:

• On the urgency to act before open enrollment: Lawmakers need to “do this now.”

• On the consequences of missing the November 1 deadline: “If Congress misses that deadline, consumers who log in to shop for a plan will see much higher premiums and they may not come back, even if Congress ultimately extends the credits by the end of December.”

• On the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ support for extending the tax credits: “Red state, blue state, appointed, elected — we have unanimous approval supporting these tax credits.”

• On the possibility of Congressional action in the coming weeks: “Most states, if not all states, had their [insurance] carriers file two sets of rates — one with subsidies, one without. [...] And so if they do a clean extension of these subsidies, I think most states will be ready to go on that.”

“All across this country, Americans are receiving notices that their monthly premiums are about to skyrocket next year when the enhanced premium tax credits expire. Commissioner Godfread is right to sound the alarm, because we only have a matter of days to act before health care costs are permanently raised on November 1,” said Senator Shaheen, author of bicameral legislation that would permanently extend the ACA enhanced premium tax credits. “Time is of the essence. With too many families already struggling to make ends meet, we should be doing everything we can to avoid an outcome where millions of Americans can no longer afford their health insurance. This isn’t about partisan rhetoric or political gamesmanship – this is about the health and wellbeing of the American people. It’s high time President Trump and Republican leadership start heeding their calls.”

Shaheen leads 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 to permanently extend the tax credits for Marketplace coverage that have lowered health care costs for millions of Americans.

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