Speak up for restoration of ACA health coverage subsidies

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, December 31, 2025

In a move that surprised no one, the U.S. Senate recently voted down an extension of the Affordable Care Act subsidies. We’re bombarded with bad policy decisions all the time, but this one hits close to home.

Years ago, when I was living in Alaska, I was diagnosed with uterine cancer shortly after leaving my job. I couldn’t afford the $800 monthly premium for a single person. The only reason I survived without financial ruin is that Alaska expanded Medicaid, a policy I had lobbied hard for. I was lucky. But in the richest country in the world, no one’s survival should depend on luck.

As these ACA subsidies expire on Dec. 31, an estimated 20 million people could see their premiums spike, many by double or triple digits. Millions will lose coverage. There is an old joke: “If you get diagnosed with cancer, don’t call your doctor; call your travel agent.” It wasn’t funny then, and it’s even less funny now.

Health care should not be a gamble. Congress must act to protect these subsidies and ensure that ordinary Americans aren’t bankrupted simply because they got sick.

For those of us in Washington state, Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell have long been champions of accessible health care. Now is the moment for all of us to speak up and make sure they have the support they need to keep fighting for us.

Mary Minor

Snohomish