Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
The bill (Health Care Affordability Act of 2025) amends Internal Revenue Code section 36B to remove the 400% of poverty eligibility cap for the refundable premium tax credit and replaces the applicable percentage table with new sliding income tiers. It establishes specific premium-contribution percentages by income tier (including a fixed 8.5 percent for 400%+ of the poverty line) and makes several conforming changes to affordability-related subsections.
Liberals emphasize expanded affordability and coverage gains.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a straightforward statutory amendment to the Internal Revenue Code that specifies new applicable percentage calculations for the premium tax credit and removes certain related subsections.
The bill (Health Care Affordability Act of 2025) amends Internal Revenue Code section 36B to remove the 400% of poverty eligibility cap for the refundable premium tax credit and replaces the applicable percentage table with new sliding income tiers.
It establishes specific premium-contribution percentages by income tier (including a fixed 8.5 percent for 400%+ of the poverty line) and makes several conforming changes to affordability-related subsections.
The amendments apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.
Clear, implementable change but sizable budgetary impact and partisan resistance reduce standalone enactment prospects absent inclusion in a larger negotiated budget package.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a straightforward statutory amendment to the Internal Revenue Code that specifies new applicable percentage calculations for the premium tax credit and removes certain related subsections. It succeeds at providing concrete, legally operative changes but omits supporting scaffolding commonly expected for a substantial tax-credit expansion.
Liberals emphasize expanded affordability and coverage gains.
These are examples from the analysis, not a ranked list of the most-affected groups.
Liberals emphasize expanded affordability and coverage gains.
Generally supportive.
The bill expands marketplace premium tax-credit eligibility to households above 400% FPL, lowering net premiums for middle-income families.
It aligns with priorities to increase coverage affordability, though fiscal offsets are not specified.
Cautiously supportive.
Expanding tax-credit eligibility can improve affordability, but the fiscal cost, effects on employer coverage, and technical interactions deserve scrutiny.
Will seek budget estimates and implementation detail.
Likely opposed.
The bill expands federal subsidy eligibility to higher-income households, increasing government spending and intervention in private insurance markets without offsets.
Concerns include moral hazard and growing entitlement costs.
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Still ahead
Still ahead
Still ahead
Clear, implementable change but sizable budgetary impact and partisan resistance reduce standalone enactment prospects absent inclusion in a larger negotiated budget package.
The bill has not accumulated any surfaced votes yet.
Liberals emphasize expanded affordability and coverage gains.
Clear, implementable change but sizable budgetary impact and partisan resistance reduce standalone enactment prospects absent inclusion in…
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a straightforward statutory amendment to the Internal Revenue Code that specifies new applicable percentage calculations for the premium tax credit and removes cer…
Go beyond the headline summary with full stakeholder mapping, legislative design analysis, passage barriers, and lens-by-lens tradeoff breakdowns.