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As Costs Continue to Rise and Healthcare Premiums Skyrocket, Kennedy Applauded the Successful Democratic Effort to Force a Vote on Extending Tax Credits

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Tim Kennedy (NY-26) delivered a forceful speech on the House Floor, calling attention to the expiration of the enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits. In his remarks, Kennedy warned of the immediate economic harm facing millions of families in Western New York and nationwide, as a result of Republican inaction. 

(Congressman Kennedy’s full remarks here.)

“As an occupational therapist, I spent more than a decade working on the front lines of our healthcare system, helping patients and their families when an unexpected illness, injury, or disability turned their world upside down,” said Congressman Kennedy. “I’ve seen the devastation that happens when people delay care because they can’t afford it. Patients ration medications, skip follow-up visits, delay essential care, and choose between putting food on the table or seeing a doctor. When health care is out of reach, outcomes get worse, costs go up, and working families pay the price.”

Kennedy highlighted improvements in healthcare coverage since the enactment of the ACA and the subsequent premium tax credits expanded by Democrats through the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act, which significantly lowered premiums and drove four consecutive years of record-high enrollment. He contrasted that historic progress with the current crisis, noting that Congressional Republicans allowed the enhanced tax credits to expire on December 31, triggering average premium increases of more than 100 percent nationwide.

In his remarks, Kennedy warned that enrollment is expected to plummet, with millions of Americans projected to lose or forgo coverage altogether. In New York State alone, tens of thousands are expected to lose marketplace coverage, while hundreds of thousands more face sharply higher costs – with young people and communities of color hit hardest.

Kennedy emphasized that the crisis is the result of deliberate policy choices, criticizing Republicans for prioritizing tax breaks for the wealthy and pursuing deep cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and the ACA. He concluded by reaffirming his support for Democratic efforts to force a vote to extend the credits, stressing that access to health care is a life-or-death issue that should not depend on income, employment, or zip code.

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