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Colorado: Governor Polis Applauds U.S. House For Supporting Extension of Federal Health Care Tax Credits; Senate Must Now Act to Protect Coloradans From Skyrocketing Costs

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DENVER ~ In a crucial bipartisan move, the U.S. House of Representatives has taken a significant step towards extending the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) Enhanced Premium Tax Credits (EPTCs). These tax credits, which expired at the end of 2025, are vital in preventing steep health insurance premium increases for families in Colorado and across the nation.

The bill, which was advanced by the House today, must now be taken up by the U.S. Senate in order to become law. Governor Jared Polis has applauded this congressional action, stating that it is a critical step forward for families who are already struggling with the high cost of healthcare. He also emphasized that there is real momentum to protect people from devastating premium increases.

However, Governor Polis also stressed that the job is not yet done and urged the Senate to act quickly in passing an extension of these tax credits. He warned that without swift action, families may be forced to pay double or triple for their health coverage or even go without insurance altogether. The governor stated that Coloradans cannot afford any delays and called on Congress to finish the job.

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Today's vote saw Colorado House Representatives Jason Crow, Diana DeGette, Will Hurd, Joe Neguse, and Brittany Pettersen all voting in favor of extending these critical tax credits. However, Representatives Lauren Boebert, Ken Buck, and Doug Lamborn voted against providing their constituents with more affordable health insurance.

If the Senate fails to finalize an extension of these tax credits soon, nearly 250,000 Coloradans could face premium increases ranging from 114% to as much as 300%. Additionally, as many as 75,000 Coloradans are at risk of losing their health insurance altogether.

Governor Polis has been actively advocating for an extension of the EPTCs since June. In early September, he and Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera sent a letter to Colorado's congressional delegation urging them to extend the tax credits in order to protect the health and financial stability of Colorado families. On the same day, Governor Polis convened a meeting with local leaders in Grand Junction to discuss the impact of these tax credits on businesses, employees, and rural communities, which are expected to see some of the highest premium increases.

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On September 15, Governor Polis joined a group of governors from across the country in a letter to congressional leaders, emphasizing the national importance of extending these tax credits. The letter was led by Delaware Governor Matt Meyer and co-signed by governors from California, Connecticut, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington and Wisconsin.

Governor Polis also held a second roundtable discussion on the tax credit with leaders in Colorado Springs. Despite these efforts and support from Democrats in both chambers of Congress for an EPTC extension, Republicans have failed to provide their support. As a result, the extension vote failed in the Senate in December and was not brought up for a vote in the House until today's discharge vote. This has led to the official expiration of these tax credits on December 31st last year.

In conclusion, it is now up to the U.S. Senate to take swift action and pass an extension of these critical tax credits in order to protect families from facing exorbitant premium increases or losing their health insurance altogether. The fate of millions of Americans rests on their decision.

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