The Autism DadStop the Health Premium Spike
Ready-to-use scripts to tell Congress to restore the health insurance help that kept premiums down for people who buy their own coverage, before another year of higher prices locks in.
The basics
The extra help that lowered premiums for people who buy their own health insurance, the enhanced premium tax credits, expired at the end of 2025. Premiums jumped this year, and insurers are proposing another increase for 2027.
KFF reports that the average monthly premium payment after tax credits rose 58 percent in 2026, from 113 dollars to 178 dollars, and that the average deductible rose 37 percent, from 2,759 dollars to 3,786, as many people moved to cheaper plans. That hits the 23.1 million people who signed up for marketplace coverage for 2026, including the self-employed, early retirees, gig workers, and small-business families who earn too much for Medicaid.
For 2027, insurers are proposing a median premium increase of 15 percent, according to KFF's review of their filings. Open enrollment for 2027 coverage starts November 1.
The House has already acted. It passed a three-year extension, H.R. 1834, on January 8, 2026, by 230 to 196, with 17 Republicans voting for it. The bill is stalled in the Senate, where it needs 60 votes. That is where this is decided now.
Who this affects
This is the middle-class and small-business story. If you are self-employed, retired before 65, driving for a rideshare, or running a small shop, this is your health insurance bill going up, and your deductible with it. It reaches a lot of families who have never asked the government for anything.
- The House already voted to bring them back. It passed a three-year extension, H.R. 1834, on January 8, 2026, by 230 to 196, with 17 Republicans in favor. It is stalled in the Senate, where it needs 60 votes, so your senators are the ones to call.
- KFF reports the average premium payment after tax credits rose 58 percent in 2026, and the average deductible rose 37 percent. Before the credits expired, KFF had projected that subsidized customers keeping the same plan would pay 114 percent more.
- It affects the 23.1 million people who signed up for marketplace coverage for 2026, not people with job-based insurance. Open enrollment for 2027 starts November 1.
Fill in your reps' names
Enter your address and we'll drop your representatives' names into every script below, federal and state. Your address is used once to find your districts and is not stored. It goes to the U.S. Census geocoder to match your address to a district.
You can skip this. The scripts work as they are, with blanks for you to fill in yourself.
Call script~1 min
Hi, my name is [YOUR NAME] and I'm a constituent from [YOUR TOWN, ZIP]. I'm calling about health insurance costs. The extra help that kept premiums affordable for people who buy their own coverage expired at the end of 2025, and insurers are proposing another round of increases for 2027. I'm asking [SENATOR / REPRESENTATIVE LAST NAME] to vote to restore the enhanced premium tax credits. [I buy my own insurance, and my premium is going up by hundreds of dollars a month.] Can you tell me where [SENATOR / REPRESENTATIVE LAST NAME] stands on restoring the premium help? Thank you for your time.
Email subjectif you'd rather not call
Please restore the premium tax credits before health insurance gets unaffordableEmail messagepaste into the message box
Dear [SENATOR / REPRESENTATIVE LAST NAME], I'm a constituent from [YOUR TOWN, ZIP], and I'm writing about the cost of health insurance for people who buy their own coverage. The enhanced premium tax credits that kept marketplace premiums affordable expired at the end of 2025. KFF reports that the average premium payment after tax credits rose 58 percent in 2026 and the average deductible rose 37 percent, and insurers are proposing a median increase of 15 percent for 2027. This hits the self-employed, early retirees, gig workers, and small-business families among the 23.1 million people who signed up for marketplace coverage for 2026. The House passed a three-year extension, H.R. 1834, on January 8, 2026. It is waiting on the Senate. These are working people who do not get coverage through a job. A price spike like this pushes healthy people to drop coverage and leaves everyone else paying more. [I buy my own insurance, and ...] I'm asking you to vote to restore the enhanced premium tax credits. Please tell me where you stand. I'd appreciate a written response. Thank you, [YOUR NAME] [YOUR TOWN, ZIP]
Find them: call the U.S. Capitol switchboard 202-224-3121, or look up your address at congress.gov/members.
Call script~1 min
Hi, my name is [YOUR NAME] and I'm a constituent from [YOUR TOWN, ZIP]. I'm calling about health insurance costs. The federal premium help that kept marketplace coverage affordable expired at the end of 2025, premiums jumped this year, and insurers are asking for more for 2027. I want [STATE LEGISLATOR / GOVERNOR LAST NAME] to press our congressional delegation to restore the premium help, and to do what our state can to protect people who buy their own insurance. [I buy my own insurance here, and the price is going up a lot.] Where does [STATE LEGISLATOR / GOVERNOR LAST NAME] stand on keeping health coverage affordable? Thank you.
Email subjectif you'd rather not call
Help keep health insurance affordable for people in our stateEmail messagepaste into the message box
Dear [TITLE AND LAST NAME], I'm a constituent from [YOUR TOWN, ZIP], writing about the cost of health insurance for people who buy their own coverage here. The federal enhanced premium tax credits expired at the end of 2025, premiums rose sharply this year, and insurers are proposing more increases for 2027. The people hit hardest are the self-employed, early retirees, and small-business families who do not get coverage through a job. I'm asking you to press our congressional delegation to restore the premium help, and to use whatever tools our state has to protect people who buy their own insurance from being priced out. Please tell me where you stand. I'd appreciate a written response. Thank you, [YOUR NAME] [YOUR TOWN, ZIP]
Text or DM to one person
Heads up. The extra help that kept health insurance affordable for people who buy their own coverage expired at the end of 2025. KFF says premium payments rose 58 percent on average this year and deductibles rose 37 percent, and insurers want about 15 percent more for 2027. This hits the self-employed, early retirees, and small-business families. Open enrollment starts November 1, and Congress can still fix it. Please call your members of Congress at 202-224-3121 and ask them to restore the premium tax credits. Two minutes.Want to know when the next one matters?
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