U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin Urges Action to Preserve Health Insurance Tax Credits

MARATHON COUNTY, Wis. (WXCO) – U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin met with Marathon County residents earlier this week, leading a roundtable on the potential loss of health insurance tax credits.

“Recently we have seen legislation pass in Congress that has made our health care more expensive in this country and certainly in the state of Wisconsin,” said Baldwin.

“But one of the things we could prevent or fend off is the expiration of these tax credits if we act.”

Premium tax credits help low and middle income families pay for their health insurance. In 2021, those tax credits went to residents purchasing insurance through Healthcare.gov. The program was extended in 2022. 

Baldwin met with constituents who would see changes in their coverage prices if premium tax credits expire. 

“I am leading the fight in Congress to extend these tax credits, make them permanent so that people will be able to afford their insurance through this program,” Baldwin said.

Baldwin is co-sponsoring the Healthcare Affordability Act, which would extend the premium tax credit program.

“We have precious little time to act, but I’m hopeful because I do have some colleagues on the Republican side of the aisle who are taking a strong look at this,” she said. “And we have just weeks to go before this will come to a head.” 

Baldwin says the hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites receiving health insurance through the Affordable Care Act could see their premiums increase as much as 34.5 percent, and 30,000 people could lose their healthcare entirely. 

She says those that receive healthcare through the marketplace and have incomes below 400 percent of the federal poverty line will be the most affected.

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