TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida is bracing for a potential healthcare shock as Congress remains deadlocked on renewing Affordable Care Act tax credits that keep coverage affordable for millions. With no guarantee of a vote, those subsidies are set to expire in January — threatening steep premium hikes across the nation’s largest ACA market.
Even though the federal government has reopened, the next crisis is already looming. The enhanced federal tax credits, first expanded during the pandemic, are scheduled to lapse unless Congress acts. For many Floridians, the impact would be immediate and severe.
“I went online to check to see what my premium would be, and [it] went up more than 250%… so now I have to decide, food or my premium,” said Francoise Cham, an ACA enrollee who spoke at a recent Miami press conference.
Democrats in Florida’s congressional delegation say roughly 1.4 million Floridians could see their coverage become unaffordable. They’re urging the GOP-led House to schedule a vote before the subsidies vanish.
Asked what her message is to Republicans as the deadline nears, US Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (R-FL25) said: “That Democrats' fight is not over.”
“We are going to continue to press to ensure that that explosion of healthcare costs that Republicans are allowing at this moment doesn't happen,” said the south Florida congresswoman.
State lawmakers are sounding alarms, too. State Sen. Shevrin Jones (D) called the situation “life-or-death” for many in his Miami Gardens district.
“We will see more people who will die because they will not have access to health care,” Jones said.
Ahead of the 2025 legislative session, Jones and other Democrats are proposing several affordability measures — including a $500 million “Tariffs Result in Untimely Money Problems (TRUMP) Trust Fund” aimed at helping residents absorb rising housing costs tied to federal trade policy.
“Why not give that money back to Floridians to be able to do what they need to do…without having to deal with the political uncertainty that's happening in Washington, D.C.,” Jones said.
Republicans in Washington, meanwhile, remain divided. President Donald Trump has suggested replacing the tax credits with an HSA-style system that would direct taxpayer dollars into personal health accounts. U.S. Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) endorsed the idea on X, writing: “Totally agree, @POTUS! I’m writing the bill right now.”
Other Republicans argue the ACA itself needs to be overhauled before any extension is approved. US Rep. Jimmy Patronis (R-FL1) said lawmakers should “reevaluate” how the federal government supports health care “to make sure that health care…is done in the most efficient way manner.”
US Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL19) went further, saying: “I think it's time to roll back so much of the ACA, what we've realized is the Affordable Care Act is really the unaffordable Care Act…When it comes to premium support, that's something that probably could be achieved. But I think we have to see some other cost cutting measures overall.”
For now, Floridians are left to navigate open enrollment with no clarity on what Congress will do, forced to weigh whether they can afford coverage if subsidies disappear.
The U.S. Senate is expected to take up the issue next month, but the House remains uncertain. Until there’s movement, Florida families are left to wait, wonder and worry.
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