Congress must protect health care tax credits, 900+ Cover Alabama supporters urge in new petition
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alabama’s congressional delegation should work to extend enhanced premium tax credits (ePTCs) as a part of ongoing budget negotiations, more than 900 people urged in a petition that the Cover Alabama coalition delivered Monday.
The petition comes as Congress works to reach a deal before Wednesday to avoid a federal government shutdown. One piece of unfinished business facing federal lawmakers is the need to extend ePTCs before they expire at the end of this year. If Congress fails to renew these credits, the cost of Marketplace health coverage under the Affordable Care Act will soar for millions of Americans.
“These tax credits are absolutely critical to Alabama,” said Debbie Smith, Alabama Arise’s Cover Alabama campaign director. “Because our state has not expanded Medicaid, more than 400,000 Alabamians rely on the Marketplace for coverage. Without these tax credits, families will lose health coverage, and our fragile health care system will be pushed deeper into crisis.”
If the enhanced premium tax credits are allowed to expire:
About 130,000 Alabamians are expected to lose their health coverage.
Premiums for thousands of Alabamians could nearly double.
Hospitals, especially in rural areas, would face higher uncompensated care costs, putting more facilities at risk of closure.
The tax credits are especially important for small business owners and their employees — groups who often do not have access to employer-based health insurance. The Marketplace and the ePTCs ensure many of them can access high-quality health coverage, which helps them stay healthy while keeping their businesses strong.
“About half of all adults enrolled through Healthcare.gov are small business owners, employees or self-employed individuals,” Smith wrote in a cover letter attached to the petition.
Petition signers are urging Congress to act now “to extend the ePTCs, prevent massive premium hikes that would price people out of care, and include this extension in any must-pass, end-of-year legislation.”
The petition will remain open until Congress extends the ePTCs. Alabamians can continue to add their voices by signing the coalition’s petition at coveralabama.org/petition.