December 16, 2025
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National Taxpayers Union, the nation’s oldest taxpayer advocacy organization, urges all members to vote “YES” on the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act. By promoting choice and transparency in health care, the reforms in this legislation would lower premiums for the most common Obamacare plans as well as for employer-sponsored coverage. This approach stands in stark contrast to proposals to extend the Biden-era enhanced Obamacare subsidies, which simply pad the profits of large insurance companies while doing nothing to slow the growth of health care spending. These subsidies were never meant to be permanent, and Congress should let them lapse as scheduled at the end of 2025.
Obamacare failed to make health care more accessible for Americans. Federal subsidies to insurance companies shield consumers from the true cost of coverage, which only drives costs higher. Keeping premiums artificially low does not reduce the actual cost of care. It simply shifts the burden onto taxpayers while allowing insurers to maintain or raise rates without meaningful competition. Since 2013, premiums for the typical individual Obamacare plan have more than doubled, leaving patients with higher costs and fewer choices.
The Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act addresses the root causes of high premiums. Because the Affordable Care Act didn’t properly fund cost-sharing reductions (CSRs), insurance companies engaged in “silver loading” and increased premiums on silver plans to drive up federal subsidies. By properly funding CSRs, this bill would lower silver plan premiums and save taxpayers billions in federal subsidies.
This legislation also helps employers offer better, more affordable health coverage. Expanding access to Association Health Plans allows small businesses and self-employed workers to pool together, giving them the leverage needed to secure high quality coverage at costs similar to those offered by large employers. Furthermore, letting employers give their employees tax-free funds to buy individual market plans expands options for workers and improves the underlying Obamacare individual market risk pool. Along with shielding stop-loss insurance from state regulations, requiring pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to clearly report costs and rebates will allow employers to better control their costs of covering employees.
Health care remains a highly salient political issue heading into 2026, and it’s perfectly understandable Congress wants to take action on this matter. The solution to rising health care costs isn’t more subsidies that insulate consumers from prices, but instead empowering individuals and small businesses to control their own health care spending.
Roll call votes on the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act will be included in NTU’s annual Rating of Congress and “YES” votes will be considered the pro-taxpayer position. Additionally, any roll call votes extending the Biden-era enhanced Obamacare subsidies will be included and “NO” votes will be considered the pro-taxpayer position.
If you have any questions, please contact NTU Policy and Government Affairs Manager Alexander Ciccone at aciccone@ntu.org