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Representative Sharice Davids is urging Congressional leaders to extend the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) Enhanced Premium Tax Credits (EPTCs) as part of any government funding bill. With current funding set to expire September 30, she warned that millions of Americans could face higher health care costs when ACA open enrollment begins in November if Congress fails to act.

The ACA’s premium tax credits have lowered costs for millions, contributing to the lowest uninsured rate in modern history. Without an extension, premiums are projected to rise an average of 20 percent nationwide, potentially forcing 4.2 million Americans off their health insurance.

In Kansas, more than 160,000 people used these tax credits last year, saving an average of $700 annually. If they expire, a family of four in Kansas’ Third District earning $130,000 could face a $7,000 premium increase, while a 60-year-old couple earning $82,000 could see nearly $17,000 in added costs each year. Allowing the credits to lapse could also push healthy people to drop coverage, leaving higher-cost patients in the system and driving premiums even higher for those who remain.