E. Anders Kolb, Chief Executive Officer of Blood Cancer United, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“As Congress heads into a holiday recess, it has failed to act to extend the enhanced ACA tax credits. When the tax credits expire on December 31, 2025, 93% of ACA enrollees (20 million people) will see their 2026 premiums rise, according to The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Premium spikes will place enormous pressure on already tight household budgets. This includes people like Kenny in North Carolina, who will now have to pay an eye-popping $2,300 a month for his monthly premium, and Kristin in Maine, who will see her premiums rise $162 a month—far too much for a family living on $41,000 a year. Many families will be forced to drop their insurance altogether.
The impact of the expiring tax credits on the blood cancer community is deeply concerning, as it comes on the heels of the largest healthcare cut in US history. The $1 trillion cut to Medicaid in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, combined with the expiration of the enhanced tax credits, could result in upwards of 14 million people losing health coverage. While those cuts haven’t taken hold, we are already seeing growing worry among our patient community as affordable healthcare soon may be out of reach.
Blood cancer is an incredibly expensive disease to diagnose and treat, and health insurance is an absolute must. Blood cancer patients are among the many who count on the ACA for affordable access to the treatment, medication and follow-up care they need.
Blood Cancer United has been advocating for the extension of the tax credits for months, and we’re not giving up. In May, we brought over 150 patients, families, and survivors to Capitol Hill to share their cancer experiences and discuss with their members the importance of access to affordable, high-quality health insurance. There are committed and knowledgeable policy experts in Washington, including our own Blood Cancer United Office of Public Policy, who welcome the debate about how to make health coverage more affordable for Americans without compromising quality. We all know that this is a debate that is of critical importance to patients and our country. There is no politically expedient solution.
Patients count on tax credits and congressional action for survival and will be the ones who suffer most for political brinksmanship. There is still time for Congress to right this wrong. We urge lawmakers to make extending the ACA tax credits its top priority when it reconvenes in January, so blood cancer patients and millions of others can continue to rely on the affordable coverage they need, now and into the future.
See our press statement from Blood Cancer United Chief Medical Officer Gwen Nichols in the comments below.”
Gwen Nichols, Chief Medical Officer At Blood Cancer United, shared this post, adding:
“People are dropping insurance and hoping they don’t get sick. Unfortunately at Blood Cancer United we see those who need that coverage.”
More posts featuring E. Anders Kolb and Gwen Nichols.