Warner says healthcare system could pay the price if ACA tax credits aren’t extended

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Virginia Senator Mark Warner (D) says if Congress fails to extend tax credits meant to make health insurance plans purchased through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace more affordable, Virginia’s healthcare system could pay the price. 

“We are all interconnected in this system,” Warned told 8News following an event at Daily Planet Health Services, a non-profit, federally qualified health center, in Richmond. 

The State Corporation Commission (SCC) says the expiration of those tax credits, slated for the end of the year, along with other factors, could lead to a more than 20% increase in the cost of insurance purchased by Virginians through the marketplace for 2026. 

Warner said if Virginians can't afford those higher premiums, they’ll become uninsured and forced to go to non-profits like Daily Planet or the emergency room for care. 

“Obviously, that patient is very stressed, but think if you're the nurse trying to deal with 50 patients a day who’ve got those issues. That puts a lot of stress on that nurse as well, and the system could start to collapse,” Warner said.

Warner added that if those patients can’t pay for their care out-of-pocket, Virginians will be forced to pick up the tab. 

“Because if you come to the emergency room and you get what's called uncompensated care, you don't have insurance, you can't pay the bill, well, the hospital eats that cost and then charges the insurance company to raise everybody's costs,” Warner told 8News. 

In a statement, Republican Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02), who has been working to extend the tax credits in question, said, “As a nurse practitioner, I’m proud of the healthcare wins Republicans delivered in the Working Families Tax Plan that strengthens patient choice, brings more accountability to the system, and funds rural hospitals. At the same time, I’m concerned about the upcoming expiration of ACA tax credits which is why I continue to seek bipartisan solutions. We need to protect access to affordable coverage while continuing to move healthcare in the right direction.”

Republican Congressman Rob Wittman said, "I have consistently supported legislation that increases access to telehealth, protects Medicaid for vulnerable populations, and increases healthcare flexibility. Addressing the root causes of skyrocketing healthcare costs requires long-term solutions that increase choices for consumers and lower the cost of premiums. As proposals are considered this week, I will continue to focus on ensuring that Virginians have access to the care they need at a price they can afford."