American Lung Association Calls for Urgent Action on Healthcare Tax Credits

Yesterday, Congress passed a bill to re-open the federal government after 43 days. Congress must still urgently act to stop dramatic increases in healthcare costs for millions of Americans. To urge lawmakers to extend critical healthcare tax credits, the American Lung Association President and CEO Harold Wimmer released the following statement:

"The American Lung Association has long been calling on Congress to take two urgent actions: fund the federal government and extend the enhanced healthcare tax credits. Government shutdowns are harmful to people’s health, resulting in halted medical research, delayed disease tracking and chronic disease prevention efforts, and weakened protections for clean air – all of which put the health of families at risk. It’s good news that staff will soon return to running critical programs at National Institutes of Health, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other agencies that improve and protect lung health.

“But now, Congress is past due on extending the enhanced healthcare tax credits. Families can’t wait while Congress delays. These enhanced tax credits help millions of individuals in the United States access quality, affordable health coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace. Without an extension, more than four million people will lose their healthcare coverage and costs will dramatically increase for millions more. More than 24 million people now receive their healthcare coverage through the ACA Marketplace, a record high. 

“Healthcare open enrollment began on November 1; however, there is still time for Congress to extend these critical tax credits. We urge Congress pass an extension of enhanced healthcare tax credits without delay, to protect the health of everyone in the U.S."

The American Lung Association provides tools and resources to help people with lung disease make informed choices about healthcare coverage. Visit Lung.org/openenrollment for guidance on selecting a plan that meets your needs and go to Healthcare.gov to enroll. You can also help advocate for the permanent extension of premium tax credits here.