To: Interested Parties 

From: Community Catalyst Action Fund 

Date: July 15, 2025

Re: New Poll: Letting ACA Credits Expire Is Politically Risky — and Economically Irresponsible

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As was first reported today by Politico Playbook, in a memo directed at House Republicans, Trump’s pollster Tony Fabrizio wrote: “By broad bi-partisan margins, voters want to see the tax credits extended rather than expire at the end of the year, whether in the context of premiums doubling or 5 million families losing their health insurance. This includes solid majorities of Trump voters and Swing voters.” 

The memo goes on to state, “Republicans can expect a loss of support in these most competitive [House] districts if the premium tax credit is not extended. Among all registered voters, a 3-point deficit becomes a 15-point deficit for the generic Republican they allowed the healthcare premium tax credit to expire. Among Independents, the GOP candidate moves from down 2-points on the initial generic ballot to down 16-points.”

This isn’t about giving Republicans a lifeline — it’s about protecting families from real economic harm. The public sees the stakes, and they expect Congress to act.

“While Congress has already passed a deeply unpopular reconciliation bill that slashes Medicaid and terminates coverage for millions, allowing the ACA premium tax credits to expire would make a bad situation even worse — driving up costs for millions more,” said Colin Reusch, Director of Policy at Community Catalyst Action Fund. “Congress must act urgently to reverse these harmful cuts and extend the premium tax credits before the end of the year. Letting them lapse would not only jeopardize people’s coverage — it would inject unnecessary financial strain into household budgets and the larger economy.” 

Thanks to enhanced premium tax credits, ACA enrollment has reached record highs, with over 21.4 million people enrolled in Marketplace plans in 2024. These credits didn’t just lower monthly premiums — they eliminated them entirely for some.

But without Congressional action to extend these credits, millions could see costs spike — leading to even more medical debt. 

It’s no surprise that even Trump’s top pollster is urging House Republicans to act.

This isn’t an abstract policy debate — it’s about real people. Jason, a freelance illustrator in Pennsylvania, received a life-changing thyroid cancer diagnosis in 2022. While he’d been healthy most of his life, treatment required scans, surgery, and follow-up care.

Two people pose in front of the Capitol with signs that read "Cutting Medicaid fuels medical debt" and "We're done paying the price."
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 29: Jason, a participant in Community Catalyst’s Day Of Action, poses for a photo as part of the Pennsylvania Delegation of Community Catalyst on the Medical Debt Day of Action on Capitol Hill on April 29, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Community Catalyst)

Thanks to enhanced tax credits, Jason could afford a silver plan that covered care from top specialists in Philadelphia. Without these credits, that coverage — and potentially lifesaving care — would have been out of reach.

“People are going to die without these tax credits, because they’re going to lose their coverage. They’re going to miss a diagnosis,” Jason said. “I don’t even know if I would have been able to find this without the silver plan. I might have not gone for my checkup.” 

Jason joined other advocates in Washington for Community Catalyst’s Day of Action, urging Congress to extend the tax credits and protect affordable coverage.

Community Catalyst has laid out in detail how vital these tax credits are. 

If you would like to speak to Jason or a Community Catalyst Action Fund expert about these tax credits, please contact Jack Cardinal at jcardinal@communitycatalyst.org. 

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About Community Catalyst Action Fund:

The mission of the Community Catalyst Action Fund is to build the power of people to create a health system rooted in race equity and health justice and a society where health is a right for all. We strengthen the health justice and advocacy movement to achieve community-led political and policy wins that put people over profit.