A Democratic bill with 4 Republican cosponsors · See all 9 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill extends and modifies the enhanced premium tax credit under the Internal Revenue Code for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025, and before January 1, 2028. It adjusts the income tiers and initial and final premium percentages used to calculate the credit and allows taxpayers whose household income exceeds 400 percent of the poverty line to qualify up to 935 percent. Additionally, the legislation adds guardrails to prevent fraud in health insurance exchanges by setting penalties for agents and brokers who provide incorrect or fraudulent information. It establishes a verification process for new enrollments and coverage changes assisted by agents or brokers, requires the removal of deceased individuals from exchange plans, and sets standards for terminating agents and brokers. Finally, the bill extends the annual open enrollment period for exchanges for the plan year 2026 to begin on November 1, 2025, and end on May 15, 2026.
Yes· 3 of 28
- Scored +9
Does this strengthen the Affordable Care Act?
The legislation extends and modifies enhanced premium tax credits through 2027 and establishes important verification guardrails to prevent exchange fraud.
- Scored +8
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
Low-income households continue to receive maximum premium assistance and enhanced consumer protections under health exchanges.
- Scored +8
Would middle-income households be better off under this?
Middle-class households benefit directly from the extension of enhanced tax credits and expanded income tier eligibility.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Extended Tax Credits: Section 2 extends and modifies the enhanced premium tax credits through 2027, allowing middle- and lower-income households and those earning up to 935 percent of the poverty line to continue receiving financial assistance for their health insurance premiums.
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Fraud Protection and Consumer Safeguards: Section 3(a) institutes strict civil and criminal penalties for agents and brokers who provide false information, establishes clear consumer protections like requiring direct consent and timely notices, and creates a verification process to protect individuals from unauthorized enrollment changes.
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Removal of Deceased Individuals: Section 3(b) requires the Secretary to check the Death Master File quarterly and terminate the exchange plan enrollments of deceased individuals, which helps keep records accurate and prevents fraudulent activity.
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Value Notification: Section 3(d) requires exchanges to clearly notify individuals of the exact amount of their premium tax credit before they enroll in a qualified health plan, ensuring people know the financial value of their benefits.
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Extended Enrollment Period: Section 4 extends the annual open enrollment period for the 2026 plan year to run from November 1, 2025, through May 15, 2026, giving people more time to sign up for health coverage.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Stricter Commission Delays: Section 3(a)(2)(B) specifies that commissions due to brokers or agents for new enrollments will only be paid after the enrollee resolves all eligibility inconsistencies, which could cause administrative burdens or payment delays for compliant agents assisting the public.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Low-income households continue to receive maximum premium assistance and enhanced consumer protections under health exchanges. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Middle-class households benefit directly from the extension of enhanced tax credits and expanded income tier eligibility. Would children be better off under this? — Families with children benefit from extended health insurance premium tax credits and better consumer protections. Would people in middle age be better off under this? — Middle-aged households benefit from extended premium assistance and higher income eligibility limits for tax credits. Would retired people be better off under this? — Retirees not yet eligible for Medicare benefit from extended tax credits and higher income thresholds for premium assistance. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — Seniors and near-retirees benefit from extended tax credits and measures ensuring deceased individuals are promptly removed from plans. Would women be better off under this? — Women frequently utilize health exchanges and will benefit significantly from extended premium tax credits and protections against unauthorized enrollment. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Young adults gain extended access to affordable health coverage and a longer open enrollment window. Would Black Americans be better off under this? — Minority communities benefit broadly from expanded access to affordable health coverage and consumer fraud protections. Would Asian Americans be better off under this? — Asian Americans gain from improved health exchange integrity and continued premium assistance availability. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — Hispanic Americans benefit from extended health insurance subsidies and safeguards against deceptive enrollment practices. Would immigrants be better off under this? — Eligible immigrants purchasing coverage through health exchanges benefit from extended premium subsidies and fraud safeguards. Would men be better off under this? — Men across qualifying income brackets benefit from extended premium support and transparent healthcare exchange operations. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — Native Americans benefit from enhanced financial support for health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — Individuals with disabilities benefit from stable coverage provisions and enhanced protections against fraudulent plan changes. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Rural residents relying on health insurance exchanges benefit from extended tax credits and increased enrollment accessibility. Would students be better off under this? — Students and young workers gain from an extended open enrollment period and lower premium costs. Would people in cities be better off under this? — Urban residents utilizing health insurance exchanges benefit from expanded tax credits and stronger broker oversight. Would white Americans be better off under this? — White Americans across lower and middle-income brackets benefit from extended health insurance premium tax credits. Would high-income households be better off under this? — Households earning between 400 and 935 percent of the federal poverty line remain eligible for subsidized health insurance premium tax credits.
- Healthcare
- Does this strengthen the Affordable Care Act? — The legislation extends and modifies enhanced premium tax credits through 2027 and establishes important verification guardrails to prevent exchange fraud. Does this make health care easier to get in general? — Extending financial assistance and the open enrollment period expands and maintains affordable healthcare coverage access for millions. Does this lower what people pay for private health insurance? — Extending the enhanced premium tax credits substantially lowers out-of-pocket health insurance premium costs for eligible individuals and families.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill enhances government transparency by requiring clear notifications to consumers regarding the exact value of their premium tax credits. Does this protect people from being watched or searched? — The bill institutes rigorous verification protocols that protect individuals from unauthorized plan changes and fraudulent enrollments. Does this give the federal government more power? — The legislation expands federal regulatory oversight and enforcement regarding health insurance exchanges and broker conduct.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The bill institutes strict civil and criminal penalties for agents and brokers providing false information and establishes strong consumer safeguards for health plan enrollments.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — Providing financial assistance for health insurance premiums helps lower- and middle-income households manage essential living expenses.
- 12/15/2025
- 6 Cosponsors added.
- 11/20/2025
- Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
4 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Don BaconRepublican · Nebraska
Henry CuellarDemocrat · Texas
Brian FitzpatrickRepublican · Pennsylvania
Vicente GonzalezDemocrat · Texas
Josh GottheimerDemocrat · New Jersey
Jeff HurdRepublican · Colorado
Michael LawlerRepublican · New York
Sam LiccardoDemocrat · California
Darren SotoDemocrat · Florida