(PRESS RELEASE) On January 1, millions of Americans may see significant increases in the cost of their health insurance premiums on plans purchased through the ACA marketplace. These cost increases are due to the pending expiration of pandemic-era tax credits that Congress implemented to help ease the cost of health insurance in 2021 and 2022. While Congress is set to vote this week on a measure to extend these tax credits for another 3 years, it is likely that the measure will fail without enough support from Republicans who are considering other pathways to health care coverage (such as health savings accounts).
As a patient advocacy organization, Prevent Blindness is deeply concerned about the pending impacts of these expiring tax credits. ACA plans are required by law to cover pediatric vision care; chronic disease management services for adults, including for conditions such as diabetes; and preventive screenings that can help detect a variety of serious illnesses and conditions. If health care premiums become too expensive, people may have no choice but to drop coverage altogether, which would have devastating impacts on our national health care system but also leave people unable to access vision and eye care prevention services. This is particularly dangerous given that many conditions that result in vision loss or blindness are preventable if detected and treated early, and may lead to permanent vision loss if allowed to progress without the appropriate treatment.
Any proposal considered by Congress must:
- Prevent coverage losses
- Ensure that health care plans are comprehensive (including for those with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes)
- Address a range of health needs (including preventive services)
- Provide quality care
- Rein in costs and are affordable
- Address the urgency of the looming 2026 health plan year
Prevent Blindness urges Congress to work towards health care solutions that will work for health care consumers now, including extending the tax credits so people can approach the health care marketplace with certainty.
More information is here, and our new Prevent Blindness resource, “Understanding Insurance Benefits for Eye Care.”
