Congress is scheduled to vote Thursday on a three-year extension of Affordable Care Act premium tax credits, which expired Dec. 31. The vote comes after a bipartisan discharge petition cleared the threshold needed to force the bill onto the House floor, bypassing the committee process.
Roughly 4.7 million Floridians rely on ACA subsidies, yet no Florida Republicans signed onto the effort to extend them. Four House Republicans from outside the state – including Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania – supported the discharge petition, even as Florida remains the state most dependent on the credits.
Congresswoman Kathy Castor, who represents Florida’s 14th Congressional District, said public engagement could still influence the outcome. “Public outcry could make a difference,” Castor told Poliverse. “It’s important for Florida neighbors to contact their federal representatives to support the extension. Call their offices, comment on their social media or even mail in a letter.”
While Castor is urging constituents and the public to apply pressure, support for the tax credits is already widespread across Florida, including among residents, health care providers, hospitals, and small business owners who rely on the subsidies to keep coverage affordable.
The Florida Health Insurance Advisory Board (FHIAB), which issues policy recommendations to lawmakers, has not taken a position on the extension. The credits expired after the board’s most recent recommendation cycle concluded last year, and the next is not scheduled until the end of 2026.
When asked what the board plans to recommend ahead of the 2026 cycle, ExecutivemDirector of FHIAB Jack McDermott wasn’t able to comment, but a representative of FHAIB’s media, Shiloh Elliot, stated: “Because the exercise would be fruitless, there are no plans for recommendations at this time.”
Note: The board does not enact policy, but makes recommendations to the legislature, and past recommendations – when adopted – have tended to mitigate costs rather than act as a panacea for broad affordability.
With the vote approaching, Democrats in Washington appear staking hopes on securing a floor decision through the discharge petition rather than pursuing alternative proposals to replace ACA tax credits.
If the extension fails, the effects are expected to reach beyond individual enrollees. Small businesses could also be affected. At a town hall meeting late last year, St. Petersburg business owner Jenny Miller of Body Electric Yoga Company said ACA tax credits are central to her business model.
Employees with young children or family caregiving responsibilities “want to be there,” Miller said, but her business struggles to remain competitive because it cannot afford to provide employer-sponsored health insurance.
Meanwhile, in Washington, President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he plans to meet with representatives from insurance companies soon to discuss lowering their prices. Speaking to U.S. House Republicans, Trump said, “I’m going to meet with them in a few days, I’m meeting with them all: 14 companies.”