Opinion: Congress must act to extend health care tax credits to Alaskans

I know a neighbor who can put food on the table for her kids but won’t bring them to the doctor because she doesn’t have insurance. I know another neighbor struggling to pay rent because her husband can’t work due to cancer. As the state representative for Airport Heights, Mountain View and Russian Jack, I’ve spoken with many constituents who are forced to make difficult choices for their family because of the cost of health care. While policymakers can’t control medical bills, we can make it easier to pay for them.

Currently, Alaskans who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but can’t get health care insurance through their job can sign up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace. Open enrollment for 2025 ends Jan. 15, and most uninsured Alaskans actually qualify for federal tax credits, making a huge difference in a household’s monthly premium.

But unfortunately, without congressional action, tens of thousands of Alaskans receiving ACA coverage will be pushed back into the financial strain of unaffordable insurance bills.

What’s going on? Well, in 2021, Congress reduced the cost of ACA premiums by expanding federal subsidies through enhanced tax credits. Currently, 22,180 Alaskans receive enhanced tax credits, reducing their health insurance premiums by $867 per person per year. These enhanced credits, enacted through the American Rescue Plan and extended by the Inflation Reduction Act, will expire at the end of 2025 unless Congress takes action next year.

If Congress fails to act through the budget reconciliation process or other legislation, the consequences to tens of thousands of Alaskans and our state’s economy could be devastating. Many Alaskans will choose to go uninsured, delaying or foregoing critical medical care — leading to higher costs for everyone else. Our state, already facing budget stresses, will see increased reliance on state-funded public assistance programs as more Alaskans struggle to make ends meet.

The ACA has reduced Alaska’s uninsurance rate, federal subsidies have made premiums affordable, and enhanced tax credits have further solidified health care coverage in a time of rising costs.

I urge our congressional delegation to swiftly extend these enhanced tax credits and give economic certainty to Alaskans who depend on them. Their extension is not just a matter of health care policy; it’s a matter of economic stability and human dignity for tens of thousands of Alaskans.

Rep. Genevieve Mina, D-Anchorage, represents District 19 in the Alaska House of Representatives.

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