SAN ANTONIO — Affordable healthcare has become a central issue in the ongoing government shutdown, with Senate Democrats advocating for an extension of tax credits under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). However, their push has been unsuccessful, and now it appears that those subsidies may disappear entirely starting next year.
The ACA tax credits, or subsidies, assist hundreds of thousands of individuals in maintaining affordable healthcare coverage. One health insurance expert, Ernest Kyle, warned that without these subsidies, the future for many families could be uncertain. “Without these subsidies, they won’t be able to get health insurance, and they won’t be able to meet their healthcare needs,” said Kyle. “They’ll struggle to see their doctors.”
Kyle, a Health Insurance Broker with the Texas Enrollment Office, explained the consequences if the subsidies under the ACA expire at the end of 2025. “If the subsidies aren’t extended to 2026, a family of four could end up paying £1,600 or £2,400 a month for premiums.”
The Senate leaders spent 43 days debating various issues, including affordable healthcare, with Democrats pushing for the extension of these subsidies through the coming year. Kyle noted, “Many low-income families depend on these subsidies to afford their health insurance and to pay for doctor visits and medications. Without them, many people will face far higher costs.”
According to KFF, individuals who rely on enhanced subsidies could see their annual healthcare coverage costs rise by at least £570. In Texas, nearly 4 million people enrolled in 2025, with more than 235,000 from Bexar County in 2024, according to the Century Foundation.
Kyle expressed concern over the growing cost of healthcare, stating, “It’s just very expensive. A regular person just can’t afford it.”
If no alternative solution is reached before the end of the year, Republicans will have to decide whether to join with Democrats in extending the ACA tax credits when the new year begins.