As Open Enrollment for Health Coverage Ends, Congress Fails to Stop the Spike in Premiums for Millions of Americans

01.15.2026 /Statement

WASHINGTON, D.C. - With open enrollment to buy health coverage ending in 43 states, the national nonpartisan health care consumer group Families USA released this statement by its executive director, Anthony Wright, on Congressional leadership blocking the extension of enhanced tax credits that help Americans afford coverage. After the House of Representatives passed a clean, three-year extension of tax credits last week, the Senate has missed another critical deadline, impacting millions of Americans who are now locked in to paying hundreds or in many cases thousands of dollars more than they did in 2025.

"Families across the country desperately needed these Congressional leaders to finally address this health care affordability crisis. After a presidential election focused on affordability, extending health care tax credits for working families should have been a no-brainer for every member of Congress. Rather than representing their constituents, including in their own states that are disproportionately impacted, Republican Congressional leaders ignored them and ignored the constant barrage of calls for solutions for greater affordability. Consumers are paying attention, and the people will remember who is standing up for them and who isn't.

"With open enrollment ending, millions are now stuck with a massive health insurance premium spike, and an awful choice caused by the deliberate decisions of the President and Congressional leaders. Some may have felt the sticker shock and already dropped coverage, while others dropped down to lower-tier coverage with sky-high deductibles, paying more and getting less. We expect many will try to pay their premium of hundreds or thousands of dollars more, forgoing other necessities, but many may end up uninsured over the next several months.

"These major premiums increases were entirely preventable: A majority of both the House and the Senate have now voted for extending the premium tax credits for three years. Despite the bipartisan and broad public support for this affordability assistance, the President and Congressional leadership continue to use procedures and poison pills to block passage of any effort to stop the spike in health premiums. For the past year, they repeatedly rejected extending these tax credits, even as they approved other extensions of tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations. Even though much damage is already done, we will continue our efforts to extend these tax credits, since Americans trying to afford health coverage will still need the help, even retroactively."

Today, Families USA published a new Insights Column with more information on what health care consumers and advocates can do to find affordable health care.