On Sunday, Nov. 9, 60 U.S. Senators voted across party lines to end the longest federal government shutdown in American history, setting the stage for House members to do the same. By choosing not to maintain 2025 funding levels for the enhanced advanced premium tax credits for Marketplace health insurance, Senators voted to make coverage less affordable for nearly 4 million Texans.
While Senators who crafted the funding bill promise that they will pass legislation in December to extend the tax credit enhancements in some way, lawmakers have met few of the promises they’ve made in the last year during negotiations over deep cuts to key public benefit programs.
Without a December agreement to extend current tax credit levels, Marketplace insurance costs will multiply for nearly 4 million small business owners and employees, entrepreneurs, self-employed people, part-time workers, unemployed people, and children from middle-income familieswho rely on Marketplace health insurance to afford healthcare.
A September report from Texas A&M estimates that of the nearly 4 million Texans currently enrolled through the Marketplace, around 1.5 millionwill decide not to reenroll in Marketplace plans for 2026 because of the rising costs of monthly premiums.
Congressional leaders must: act to extend the tax credits, maintain health insurance affordability, improve health outcomes for millions, work to drop healthcare costs for Americans, stabilize the health insurance market, and increase national confidence in our healthcare systems.
All Texans can take a few basic steps in the coming weeks as the Open Enrollment Period for Marketplace health insurance continues through Jan.15, 2026:
- Call or email your representatives in Congress and let them know that you want the enhanced tax credits to stay. Demand that they extend the tax credits to current levels today.
- If you are currently enrolled, actively reapply for 2026 coverage. Go to HealthCare.Gov and update your application with as accurate of an income estimate as you can for 2026.
- Check to see what plans are available to you. A bronze-level plan will still have free preventive care and will protect enrollees from major medical debt. Applicants who are unsure about which plan to pick or how plans work can reach out to a local ACA Navigator or Certified Application Counselor for guidance.
- Click on the tab for “Assisters” to get unbiased help from local healthcare experts. Avoid “Agents/brokers,” who often will only talk about plans they are commissioned to sellAvoid short-term or limited duration plans, which don’t cover all medical care.
- If you decide to become uninsured, locate your local FQHCs, charitable clinics, indigent care programs, and hospitals with charity care programs.
If Congress votes to extend tax credits in some way, enrollees will need to update their Marketplace applications to take advantage of the increased funds. In that case, we urge Congress to open a Special Enrollment Period for Texans who opted out of coverage during the beginning weeks of the Open Enrollment period.
Contact Every Texan’s Marketplace health insurance expert, Lynn Cowles, at 512-522-3220 or cowles@everytexan.org.
Direct media inquiries to media@everytexan.org