U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Representative:
On behalf of our 3 million members and the 50 million students they serve, we urge you to VOTE YES on the motion to discharge H.Res. 780, passage of H.Res. 780, and final passage of H.R. 1834 to provide a three-year extension of Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies and preserve access to health care for over 20 million Americans—entrepreneurs, self-employed contractors, and part-time workers whose employers don’t offer or help pay for insurance. Votes on this issue may be included in NEA’s report card for the 119th Congress.
Premiums on ACA marketplace plans began rising significantly on January 1—more than double, on average—on the same day that massive tax breaks for the ultra-rich became permanent under the GOP’s reconciliation bill. In the November KFF Health Tracking Poll, 74 percent of Americans supported extending the subsidies, including 94 percent of Democrats, 76 percent of Independents, and 50 percent of Republicans.
Due to congressional inaction, the expiration of these subsidies is already causing turmoil and financial upheaval.
According to a KFF survey released in December, one-quarter of those insured through ACA marketplaces are very likely to drop coverage due to the expiration of the subsidies. In 2025, the Congressional Research Service (CRS) projected that 4 million people now insured through ACA plans will lose coverage entirely because the subsidies have ended—on top of the 7.8 million losing Medicaid due to funding cuts and other provisions of the GOP’s reconciliation bill. Educators will be hit especially hard, with more than 10 percent of education support professionals (ESPs)—who drive school buses, assist teachers in supporting students, prepare and serve healthy school meals, maintain buildings and grounds, and perform many other crucial roles—relying on ACA plans or Medicaid.
In rural areas, the uninsured population will rise as hospital revenues fall, leading to consequences that literally determine life or death. Hospitals that are no longer financially viable will shut down entirely. Some could stay afloat by reducing services, staff, or both—eliminating essential but unprofitable services like maternity care, for example.
It is beyond time for Congress to choose people over politics, step up, and be responsible. Every family—regardless of race, background, or ZIP code—deserves reliable access to affordable health care. Please VOTE YES to extend the ACA subsidies for three years.
Sincerely,
Kimberly Johnson Trinca
Director of Government Relations
National Education Association
