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The policy situation remains the same, but the legislative and political landscape has changed. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries forced a vote on an extension of the ACA premium tax credits; the vote occurred on Thursday, January 8.
Four (4) House Republicans signed onto his discharge petition. Then, five (5) more joined. All told, 17 Republicans voted for the legislation. Now it's with the Senate.
If Congress fails to act and fix, tens of millions of people will continue to face skyrocketing out-of-pocket costs. We need Congress to reverse the mounting insurance rate hikes for people across the United States.
With the loss of Medicaid funding over the Summer, we’re already hearing reports that rural hospitals are planning to close. If this additional loss of ACA coverage persists, we will see more healthcare providers close their doors, and millions will forgo health insurance and care.
Congress is voting on a clean extension of the enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits. The vote has been forced in the House. This is after the Senate failed to fix the problem in December. It now returns to the Senate.
With this vote, Congress has the chance—once again—to keep health insurance more affordable for tens of millions of Americans and avoid ancillary impacts on our entire system of care.
Under the current premium tax credit system, low-income people at or near the federal poverty line forgo premium payments for plans with adequate coverage and protections. Without those tax credits, the same plans will cost much more per month, plus co-pays. (Some estimates project $82 per month, which is almost $1,000 per year for a single adult earning as little as $23,475 per year.)
- Nationwide, people with modest or fixed incomes will see premiums rise, perhaps by thousands of dollars. This includes UUs.
- For some people with very low incomes, the current ACA exchanges, with enhanced tax credits, are their only route to health insurance because they don’t meet Medicaid eligibility standards.
- For those living in states that have not expanded Medicaid, this is their only viable route to affordable insurance.
Urge Congress -- including your Senator -- to pass a clean extension of the enhanced ACA premium tax credits. (Keep the drum beat going. Help 9 in the House, become a winning margin in the Senate.)
UU Grounding:
As of General Assembly 2024, as Unitarian Universalists, we have agreed to “adopt new language on core religious values.” We agree love is the power that holds us together and is at the center of our shared values. The values we share include all the following, which we hold as inseparable and deeply interconnected: Interdependence, Pluralism, Justice, Transformation, Generosity, and Equity. (Read more on the Article II revision process.)
With these agreed core religious values in mind, we also ground our call to action related to health, hunger, and poverty issues in the following Unitarian Universalist Statements:
- Organizing for Health Equity, 2023 Action of Immediate Witness
- UUs Remain Committed to Reproductive Justice, 2022 Statement from the UUA President
- Undoing Systemic White Supremacy: A Call to Prophetic Action, 2021 Statement of Conscience
- The COVID-19 Pandemic: Justice. Healing. Courage, 2021 Action of Immediate Witness
- Escalating Economic Inequity, 2017 Statement of Conscience
- Single Payer Health Care, 2008 Action of Immediate Witness
- Addressing the Health Insurance Crisis, 1998 Action of Immediate Witness
- Universal Health Care, 1992 General Resolution
- A National Health Plan, 1979 General Resolution
- National Health Plan, 1971 General Resolution
They should pass a clean extension of the
ACA premium tax credits
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries forced a vote on an extension of the ACA premium tax credits; the vote occurred on Thursday, January 8.
- Four House Republicans signed onto his discharge petition. Then, five more joined.
- All told, 17 Republicans voted for the legislation.
- Now it's with the Senate.
If Congress fails to act and fix, tens of millions of people will continue to face skyrocketing out-of-pocket costs. We need Congress to reverse the mounting insurance rate hikes for people across the United States.
Urge Congress to pass a clean extension of the enhanced ACA premium tax credits.
They Must Extend The Enhanced
ACA Premium Tax Credits
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Joining an action team
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Subscribing to our advocacy volunteer list,
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Placing yourself on our witness volunteer list.
Plenty of ways to get engaged!
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