Susan Wiggins, a laboratory technician at Regional Hospital of Scranton, holding a sign advocating for Pennie outside of Scranton Municipal Building on Oct 5, 2025. (Photo: Sean Kitchen)
Thousands of Pennsylvania residents are set to see their health care premiums increase as Republicans fail to extend critical tax credits.
Pennsylvanians all across the state are experiencing sticker shock as their health care premiums nearly double. Open enrollment is set to begin on Saturday. Nov. 1.
Nearly 500,000 Pennsylvanians purchase their health care through Pennie, the commonwealth’s marketplace established with the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and many are expected to see their premiums rise if Congress allows the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits to expire at the end of the year.
The loss of these tax credits is at the center of the ongoing federal government shutdown. Democrats in Congress are sticking together by refusing to vote for the “clean” continuing resolution Republicans want, because it fails to extend these subsidies.
What are Enhanced Premium Tax Credits?
Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, better known as ACA tax credits, were established under the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021. They were temporarily extended in the Inflation Reduction Act through the end of 2025.
According to the Center for American Progress, the tax credits were created to make health care coverage more affordable for millions of Americans amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Close to 85% of 500,000 Pennsylvanians who purchase their health care through Pennie rely on these tax credits. Should they expire, Pennie customers across Pennsylvania could face sharp increases.
It is estimated that up to 250,000 Pennie customers could lose their coverage without the tax credits.
Who’ll be affected if the ACA tax credits expire?
According to Pennie, rural Pennsylvanians will be disproportionately affected, while urban areas are expected to see higher levels of disenrollment.
Residents living along and near the Appalachian ridge and Piedmont regions in Central and Southcentral Pennsylvania are expected to see largest premium increases spanning a 169% increase in York County to a 485% increase in Juniata County.
Other Changes to the ACA
On top of the expiration of the ACA tax credits, President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act made critical changes to the ACA that’ll make it more difficult for Pennsylvanians to purchase health care through Pennie.
Trump’s bill shortens the open enrollment period by one month and ends automatic reenrollments for Pennie customers. It also requires Pennie customers to pay for the full cost of their health care premiums until their incomes are verified.
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