This is your chance to tell them what you think about allowing the Affordable Care Act subsidies to expire, causing most people who get insurance through that system to end up with premium prices that could be double (2x) what you pay now.

Whether it's your insurance on the line or a family member or friend, this situation affects everyone who isn't a billionaire (or trillionaire in training).

I've written a template letter that you all may use to send your thoughts to your congressional representative. Fill in the blank parts and tweak anything else in between to suit your message.

Step 1: Find your senator and/or representative

Go here to do that - This link will take you to a search tool through the U.S. Congress. After giving it some information to identify your location, it will list your U.S. House representative and also both of your senators.

Enter your address. This is just to make sure you get the right representative, as it's hard to tell by map with all the gerrymandering.

Then, click on your person's name. You'll be taken to their personal congressional page. Keep the tab with all three people listed open so you can go back and write the others, too.

Step 2: Write a message

Each representative and senator has their own messaging system. Most do not disclose their actual email addresses. Some have extreme character limits; others do not limit messages at all. If you have a large character/word limit or no limit at all, feel free to use the template letter, below (the last part of this post), in whole or part.

If your message is "too long", consider sending it in parts. Otherwise, you'll have to be brief. It can be as simple as "Don't open the government until we can keep/get back our Affordable Care Act subsidies. Thanks, Your Name."

Step 3: Jump through the hoops to get that message sent. The forms can seem incredibly invasive, but fear not; they already have your information. Check that, fear a lot, but don't worry about this time, ok?

Step 4: Tell everyone (US Americans) you know to write to their congressperson/senators as soon as they can.

If you're not sure about whether to send a message or ignore this plea, read the template letter, below, or do a search on the issue. Find out how it could affect you, your loved ones, or your friends if the costs for medical insurance double or more.

Alternatively, you could print it out and let it ride the snail. No shame. Sometimes that's what we need do to to get it into their hands. Plus, you won't have to give up your phone number and/or email address.

Here's the template letter:

IF the subsidies are not extended in December, you may have to update the template to reflect that.

[Your Name]

[Your Address]

[Your Phone Number]

[Your Email Address]

[Date]

The Honorable Congressman/Congresswoman/Senator [Full Name]

[Congressperson's office street address]

Washington, DC  [ZIP code]

Dear Congressman/Congresswoman/Senator [Last Name],

I am writing to express my profound concern regarding the failure of the U.S. Congress to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies on November 12, 2025. These subsidies are crucial to the well-being of every single American who does not have insurance through an employer (and some who do in trying to obtain better coverage) and allowing them to expire would have devastating consequences.

Allowing the ACA subsidies to expire on December 31, 2025 will disproportionately affect the elderly, the sick, and disabled people, along with average women, men, and children, leading to negative health outcomes. Furthermore, Congress has failed to consider the long-term economic and social implications of allowing the subsidies to expire. An independent poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation was published just five days ago and shows how people feel about extending the subsidies.

In the poll¹, 74% of people said they would like the ACA subsidies extended. This includes 94% of Democrats polled, 76% of Independents, and 50% of Republicans. Half of all Republicans want the subsidies extended. From a recent article²: “From 2020 to 2025, Affordable Care Act enrollment grew by about 36% in states that voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, compared with more than 150% in states that supported President Donald Trump last year.”

This country was founded on the principle that it is run by the people for the people. It seems to me "the people" are being lost to the goal of furthering corporate profit, but it's our vote that affects whether you have a job at the end of your term. Please remember that as you read this letter and make your decision.

Please also remember that your Republican constituents are among the demographics most likely to be reliant on Medicaid to keep insurance. Everyone knows who wrote this bill and they will know who voted for it. Those who support it now may change their minds when the consequences endanger them and their family. Voting against this bill is as much a tactical decision to secure your seat against the thin margins you won it last election. If you are not moved by pleas to the needs of the American people, it is worth pointing that out.

I understand the Republican vote can often be seen as a foregone conclusion, but that is not the case, especially as polling shows how unpopular allowing the subsidies to expire is with Republican voters. You are jeopardizing your own seat in Congress if your vote allows the subsidies to expire. Perhaps enough that your seat could go to a Democrat next time. Considering the current political climate, I’d say that is a likely outcome. You have a chance to change our minds. Don’t let it go. When the time comes to vote for another funding bill, please make sure it extends the Affordable Healthcare Act subsidies.

I’m calling on you to remember any vulnerable time when money was an issue. When you, a loved one, or a friend got sicker because going to the doctor was too expensive. I’m quite sure those times were frightening. That’s how I feel right now; I know I’m far from alone in that.

Failing to extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies would be financially disastrous, but it would also likely be the source of poorer health outcomes. For me, and perhaps millions of others, I won’t go to the doctor if I can’t afford it. I’ll avoid the emergency department at a hospital because I won’t be able to afford it.

In a study called, “Why do People Avoid Medical Care? A Qualitative Study Using National Data,” one of the conclusions, shown in the paper’s Figure 2, is that avoidance of medical care – for any reason – results in a “lack of medical and preventive care,” which leads to “poorer health outcomes.”³

This all means that, if I get sick, I’ll just get sicker. Your constituents will get sicker. The country will get sicker. Let's keep that from happening.

I urge you to consider voting to keep the ACA subsidies and to fight for us to continue to receive affordable healthcare. Your consideration of this critical matter would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

[Your Typed Name]

[Your Signature]

Citations

¹ “Poll: Support for Extending the Expiring Enhanced ACA Tax Credits Remains High, But Dips Among Republicans and MAGA Supporters as Shutdown Continues and Partisanship Takes Hold”, https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/poll-support-for-extending-the-expiring-enhanced-aca-tax-credits-remains-high-but-dips-among-republicans-and-maga-supporters-as-shutdown-continues-and-partisanship-takes-hold/

² “Who will get hit hardest by ACA premium increases in four charts”, https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/07/politics/aca-premium-increases-subsidies-charts-vis

³ “Why do People Avoid Medical Care? A Qualitative Study Using National Data”, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4351276/