Underwood and Shaheen Introduce Legislation to Permanently Lower Health Care Costs
WASHINGTON –Today, Representative Lauren Underwood (IL-14) and Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), introduced the Health Care Affordability Act of 2025, critical legislation that would permanently lower health care costs for millions of Americans.
Underwood first introduced the Health Care Affordability Act in 2019. The bill makes popular tax credits for people who get their health care through the Affordable Care Act more generous and available to more Americans. The Health Care Affordability Act was signed into law as a part of the American Rescue Plan and extended in the Inflation Reduction Act.
As a result, families of four who get their health care through the Affordable Care Act are now saving an average of $2,400 on their annual health care premiums. These cost savings have led to a record-breaking and historic expansion of health care coverage. Nearly 24 million people signed up for health care through the Affordable Care Act this year, including 3.2 million new people – a historic gain in coverage. Four in five Americans can now find health coverage for $10 or less per month because of the Health Care Affordability Act.
The tax credits expanded through the Health Care Affordability Act will end on December 31, 2025 without passage of the Underwood-Shaheen bill.
“The Health Care Affordability Act significantly reduced health care costs for millions of Americans. These popular tax credits continue to help Americans get covered, putting quality, affordable health care within reach for millions of people,” said Underwood. “Now, Congress must act quickly, to build on the historic progress we have made by making these savings permanent.”
“The numbers speak for themselves – the Affordable Care Act has record enrollment, benefitting millions of working-class families. But if the ACA’s enhanced premium tax credits expire, costs will increase across the country and millions of Americans would be at risk of losing coverage altogether,” said Shaheen. “At a time when hardworking Americans are facing higher costs due to inflation, we should make every effort to lower prices where we can. That’s why I’m reintroducing our Health Care Affordability Act and urging my Republican colleagues to come to the table in good faith to keep costs from skyrocketing for millions.”
As a registered nurse, Underwood came to Congress to expand access to high-quality, affordable health care for every American.
The Health Care Affordability Act is endorsed by the following organizations:
Protect Our Care, Keep Americans Covered, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, United States of Care, National Health Council, Unidos, Young Invincibles, Alliance of Community Health Plans, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Lung Association, Center for American Progress, American Heart Association, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Third Way, Susan G. Komen, Arthritis Foundation, Cancer Support Community, Child Neurology Foundation, Epilepsy Foundation of America, American Kidney Fund, CancerCare, Family Voices – National, Hemophilia Federation of America, Lupus Foundation of America, National Bleeding Disorders Foundation, National Kidney Foundation, Muscular Dystrophy Association, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, National Organization for Rare Disorders, National Patient Advocate Foundation, National Psoriasis Foundation, The AIDS Institute, Families USA, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, Federation of American Hospitals, Center for American Progress, National Partnership for Women and Families, Pulmonary Hypertension Association, GO2 for Lung Cancer, Community Catalyst, American Federation of Teachers and National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, American College of Physicians