Today, September 25, more than 70 reproductive health, rights, and justice organizations led by All* Above All, a reproductive justice effort, sent a joint letter to Congressional leaders to permanently extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits without imposing new abortion coverage restrictions.
According to a press release by All* Above All, the letter comes as anti-abortion groups lobby conservative lawmakers in Congress this week, pushing provisions that would threaten abortion coverage in private insurance plans – including in states that explicitly require it – and expanding restrictions beyond what is already legally required by the Hyde Amendment, which already bans federal funding for abortion in most instances to any subsidy extension.
The joint letter warns that imposing new federal restrictions would force insurers to drop abortion coverage or exit ACA marketplaces altogether; threaten the ability of states to require abortion coverage in private insurance; deny millions of enrollees, including those not using subsidies, access to comprehensive health plans; and push care further out of reach for those already facing systemic barriers.
The letter clarified that Section 1303 of the ACA specifically bans federal funds from being used to cover abortion under Marketplace plans, except in cases of life, rape, or incest. It is simply not true that federal subsidies are covering abortion care beyond those circumstances, the letter reminded readers. Under current law, only non-federal funds can be used for abortion coverage outside of those limited exceptions, and Marketplace insurers are required to keep those non-federal funds in a separate account to pay for abortion services.
The letter writers also urged Congress “to protect healthcare and coverage by permanently extending the tax credits that make health insurance premiums affordable. These enhanced tax credits have proven critical to increasing access to healthcare for millions of Americans.” The enhanced ACA premium tax credits are set to expire in December. Healthcare subsidies are now central to the ongoing standoff between Democrats and Republicans over preventing a government shutdown before October 1, as our editor-in-chief Mark Hagland discussed earlier this week.
“Republicans are once again trying to use must-pass legislation as a vehicle to attack abortion coverage,” said Mini Timmaraju, President of Reproductive Freedom for All, in a statement. “These negotiations should be about protecting affordable care for millions of people, not hijacking the process to push an extremist agenda. Congress must continue fighting to extend the ACA tax credits permanently, reject any new abortion restrictions, and make sure families can get the coverage they rely on. That is what Americans overwhelmingly want.”
