December 9, 2025
“I wasn’t in Congress when Democrats created the broken ACA system or the Biden COVID subsidies, but I’m working to be part of the bipartisan solution to make health care more affordable for American families.”
WASHINGTON – Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) today introduced the Accountability for Better Care (ABC) Act. The bill would extend the ACA Enhanced Premium Tax Credits (EPTCs) by two years, creating a runway for Congress to address the root causes of higher health care costs. He provided the following statement:
“I wasn’t in Congress when Democrats created the broken ACA system or the Biden COVID subsidies, but I’m working to be part of the bipartisan solution to make health care more affordable for American families.
“Without any action, many American families will see their premiums rise significantly. American health care is not underfunded; it is under-accountable. My Accountability for Better Care Act allows Congress to address the root causes of higher health care costs, while providing Americans with stability in their premiums.
“It’s time to work together, solve the problem and deliver real relief for the American people.”
The Accountability for Better Care Act would:
- Extend Enhanced Premium Tax Credits for two years, providing Congress a runway to substantively address the rising costs of health care.
- Require a minimum monthly payment of $5 for all ACA enrollees. Zero-dollar premium plans created by the American Rescue Plan Act invited fraud at the taxpayer’s expense.
- Requiring a modest monthly premium will help reduce the incentives for fraudulent enrollees.
- Maintain household premium contributions for incomes between 100% and 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).
- Extends eligibility to individuals between 400% and 600% FPL, with gradually increasing household premium contributions up to 600% FPL threshold (600% FPL for a household of four is $192,000 annually).
- Appropriates Cost Sharing Reductions beginning in 2027.
- Funding the Cost Sharing Reductions would lower premiums approximately 10-20% percent by removing the need for silver-loading—a practice whereby health insurance companies offset the cost of providing Cost Sharing Reductions for low-income individuals by increasing the premiums for ACA silver plans.
- Includes Hyde Amendment protections for Qualified Health Plans beginning in plan year 2026.
- Extends eligibility only to U.S. citizens. Currently, EPTCs are available to noncitizens lawfully present in the United States.
Full text of the bill is available here. A summary of the bill is available here.