FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 11, 2025 
Contact: Jack Cardinal, jcardinal@communitycatalyst.org

Inaction Means Families Will Be Forced to Choose Between Health Care and Putting Food on the Table 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Following Senate Republicans’ sabotage of the last best chance to save critical enhanced ACA tax credits before their Dec. 31 expiration, Michelle Sternthal, Director of Government Affairs at Community Catalyst, issued the following statement:

“It is beyond ironic that the party that campaigned on lowering costs is now responsible for double digit premium increases for families.

“This was a deliberate choice. By sabotaging the extension of enhanced ACA premium tax credits, congressional Republicans are deepening the affordability and medical debt crisis — driving premiums higher and forcing millions of families to choose between the care they need and putting food on the table.

“Coming off a year of record enrollment, illustrating just how essential affordable coverage is to people’s health and economic stability, Republicans in Congress are pulling the rug out from under their constituents.

“Their inaction — paired with the so-called ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ — doubles down on policies that raise prices and choke off access to care.

“And we know who will bear the brunt: Black, Latinx, immigrant, and low-income families, who already face the steepest affordability barriers because decades of policy decisions have limited wages, wealth, and access to stable, affordable coverage.

“If Republicans were serious about lowering costs, they would immediately pass a permanent, clean extension of these tax credits and repeal the dangerous health care cuts in H.R. 1. Because affordable, accessible care isn’t just good policy — it’s the foundation of a stronger, more resilient people, economy, and nation.”

Community Catalyst is already hearing from families bracing for premium spikes on Jan. 1 and from partners across red, blue, and purple states preparing for coverage losses and rising medical debt. As a national connector between lived experience, on-the-ground partners, and federal policy debates, we can help illustrate how Congress’s sabotage will ripple through households and communities — and what solutions are still possible.

Background — Data, Enrollment Trends, and Public Opinion
  • Enrollment under Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans has roughly doubled since enhanced subsidies were introduced in 2021, rising from about 12 million people to over 24 million in 2025.
  • In 2025, around 22.4 million Marketplace enrollees — over 90% of people in the exchange — received enhanced premium tax credits.
  • If enhanced tax credits expire (as set to happen at year-end), many families will face steep premium increases. For example: a family of four earning about $45,000 (roughly 140% of the federal poverty level) with a $0 premium in 2025 could see annual premiums jump to about $1,607 in 2026.
  • Among the public, support for extending the enhanced tax credits remains strong and bipartisan: a recent KFF Health Tracking Poll found that 74% of the public back extension of the expiring credits.
  • Among current Marketplace enrollees, support is also overwhelming: nearly all Democrats, around 8 in 10 independents, and about 7 in 10 Republicans say credits should be extended — illustrating that the demand for affordable coverage spans beyond partisan lines.
Why This Matters — Connecting the Data to Real Impacts
  • The surge in enrollment signals that millions of Americans relied on enhanced subsidies to obtain or keep coverage. If subsidies vanish, many could face prohibitively high premiums — threatening access to care for working families, older adults, and those just above the poverty threshold.
  • The significant public and enrollee support for extending credits underscores that this is not just a partisan policy fight — it’s a matter with broad public backing. That makes any Congressional decision to let the credits expire not just a policy failure, but a break from public will.
  • Given that so many people stand to lose affordable health insurance, the end of the enhanced credits is likely to fuel a new wave of medical debt, increase uninsurance rates, and deepen inequities — especially among low-income, immigrant, and historically excluded communities.

The loss of affordable coverage doesn’t just raise premiums — it creates the conditions for predatory behavior across the health system. When people can’t afford care upfront, they are more likely to be steered into deferred interest medical credit cards, payment plans with hidden fees, or aggressive collections practices. At the same time, rising uncompensated care accelerates rural hospital closures and fuels the growing influence of private equity and consolidation, which in turn drives prices up and access down — especially for reproductive and maternal health care and other essential services.

###

About Community Catalyst:

Community Catalyst is a leading non-profit national health advocacy organization dedicated to advancing a movement for race equity and health justice. We partner with local, state and national advocates to leverage and build power so all people can influence decisions that affect their health. Health systems will not be accountable to people without a fully engaged and organized community voice. That’s why we work every day to ensure people’s interests are represented wherever important decisions about health and health care are made: in communities, state houses and on Capitol Hill. For more information, visit www.communitycatalyst.org.