Bringing Healthcare Back in Line with Reality

When Democrats expanded Obamacare premium tax credits during COVID, they included an expiration date. That date is approaching. These temporary “COVID Credits” were not made permanent, but now Senator Schumer and Democratic leaders are threatening a government shutdown unless Congress extends them indefinitely.

The irony is clear. Just last year, Senator Schumer warned: “If the government shuts down, it will be average Americans who suffer most. Seniors who rely on Social Security could be thrown into chaos…our veterans could see regional VA offices shut down…and some of our military service members could be forced to work without pay.”

Yet today Senator Schumer is willing to force a shutdown to protect COVID-era subsidies that funnel taxpayer dollars to health insurers and wealthy households.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Premiums have continued to climb under these subsidies. Below, we can see that costs have gone up since Democrats put the expansion in place. This expansion includes subsidizing the health care plans of some Americans making more than $500,000.
• Spending on these subsidies has nearly doubled under the Biden Administration and will cost taxpayers more than $500 billion total over the next decade if made permanent.
  
  
• Even after the expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits, over 90% of enrollees will still receive generous tax credits.
• In 2024, approximately 12 Million ACA enrollees filed no health care claims; yet health insurance companies still received the subsidies.

In 2025, more than 2 million people received subsidies that they were not eligible for. That’s waste, fraud, and abuse at its worst.

Republicans are focused on supporting patients, not the industry. Through the Working Families Tax Cuts, we are:

• Requiring income verification and ending loopholes that encouraged fraud.
  
  
• Expanding access to tele-health and Health Saving Accounts (HSAs) for individuals currently on the Exchange and under direct primary care service arrangements.
  
  
• Delivering real savings: reforms will reduce premiums by 0.6% immediately, with expanded plan options lowering costs by as much as 60%.

That is the clear choice: Republicans are working to lower costs and protect families, while Democrats are holding government funding hostage to preserve subsidies that primarily benefit insurers and the well-connected.

I was honored to attend and speak at LeTourneau University Chapel Service this week. It was a meaningful experience to engage with students, faculty, and staff in a setting centered on faith, purpose, and community.

It was inspiring to see such vibrant faith conversations taking place on a higher education campus, where the next generation of leaders are being shaped not just academically, but spiritually. The values being cultivated at LeTourneau University are a strong reminder of the importance of faith in public and personal life.

I was honored to be a guest speaker at this year’s Longview Chamber of Commerce State of the Workforce, where the focus is on turning connections between education and industry into real opportunity. Apprenticeships offer students a hands-on path to success while giving employers a direct role in shaping the talent they need. They’re not just programs; they’re real investments in our community’s future. Earlier this year, President Trump signed an Executive Order to reach a goal of 1 million apprenticeships. This goal can be met, and the progress starts right here in East Texas.

On September 26, 1960, the first Presidential Debate was televised between John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon. It was broadcast from a studio in Chicago. An estimated 70 to 77 million Americans tuned in to watch the event. 

Dealing with federal agencies can be complicated, and my office is here to help. If you need help with Social Security, the IRS, passport renewals, the VA, or other federal agencies, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office by calling (903) 561-6349 or visiting my website.

It is an honor to be your voice in Congress.

With gratitude,

Nathaniel Moran

Member of Congress