WASHINGTON, D.C. - Following today's successful House passage of legislation restoring the Affordable Care Act's advanced premium tax credits, or APTCs, the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) urges the U.S. Senate to immediately take up and pass legislation that provides stability for patients and for the nation's emergency care system.

The enhanced APTCs expired in December. The result is that patients will now be responsible for paying the full premium for their healthcare insurance, many of whom will not be able to afford to do so. Estimates are that millions of Americans will lose healthcare coverage. Those coverage losses are expected to have a devastating impact on emergency care and its critical role as our nation's health care safety net.

ACEP projects the loss of the tax credits will result in more than one million additional uninsured emergency department visits each year, and as much as $322.35 million in estimated losses to emergency medicine.

"These are not abstract numbers," said ACEP President L. Anthony Cirillo, MD, FACEP. "They represent more families forced to choose between health insurance and rent, more patients arriving sicker and later, and more hospitals-especially those in rural or underserved communities-absorbing uncompensated care that could force them to close their doors."

ACEP also believes that there should be stronger oversight of healthcare insurers who are receiving full annual insurance premiums, mostly from the premium tax credit subsidies, even for patients who never receive any healthcare services.

"It is critical for all Americans to have access to both health care professionals and health care coverage, and these subsidies are vital to ensuring that access remains strong," Dr. Cirillo said.

The safety net is already under extraordinary financial pressure, with twenty percent of all care provided by emergency physicians left unpaid leading to $5.9 billion in annual losses. The consequences of coverage instability will further magnify these losses and jeopardize the ability of emergency physicians and hospitals to maintain 24/7 readiness," he added.

"This is an urgent matter that cannot wait," Dr. Cirillo said. "Today's House vote is an important first step, but the Senate must finish the job and pass legislation that stabilizes premiums to limit further coverage losses. Emergency care cannot be America's health insurance plan of last resort."