Dear Health Advocates,

Congress is back from its August recess and has until September 30 to pass a budget bill or else the government will shut down. This is also an opportunity to make our voices heard and lift up urgent actions around health care affordability and consumer protections.

As you know, the bill Republicans passed earlier this summer guts Medicaid, terminates health care coverage for millions, and increases costs for us all. Republicans also failed to extend the enhanced ACA premium tax credits, which will expire at the end of the year if Congress doesn't act. If these tax credits expire, millions of people will lose coverage, causing them to delay or skip needed health care and take on medical debt they cannot afford. It will result in health care premiums and costs spiking for everyone, whether you get your health care through Medicaid, your employer or on the private insurance market.

Families USA is updating our state and national fact sheets on the importance of the enhanced premium tax credits. As proposed premium rates increases are released — showing sharp spikes across the country — we must hold Congressional Republicans accountable and press them to extend the enhanced premium tax credits by the end of the year. Here is one concrete way you can take action and demand Congress stand up for working Americans: send an email to your members TODAY asking them to extend these enhanced credits.

Health Action Conference

We also want to remind you that registration for Health Action Conference 2026 is officially OPEN! The conference will be held from January 22-23 here in Washington, DC at the Capital Hilton. Whether you're a HAC veteran or a first-timer, we hope you can join other dynamic health advocates from across the country at our annual convening where we will strengthen the movement for health and health care justice.

Find more details and register here. We also ask that you fill out our pre-conference survey to help us make HAC even better for advocates like you! 

• Insights Blog: A Trillion Dollar Cut to Care: The Fight for Medicare and Medicaid, Families USA.
• Fact Sheet: Federal Budget Reconciliation Law Implementation Timeline for Key Medicaid, Medicare, and Marketplace Provisions, Families USA.
• Insights Blog: Timeline of Trump’s New Health Care Law: What You Need to Know, Families USA.
• Blog: A Cut by Any Other Name: How “Strengthening” Asset Tests Hurts Medicaid, NHeLP.

• Blog: Medicaid Work Requirements Will Take Away Coverage From Millions: State and Congressional District Estimates, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

• Blog: What Does the 2025 Reconciliation Law (H.R. 1) Mean for Older Adults and People with Disabilities on Medicare? Commonwealth Fund.

• Blog: States Pursuing Medicaid Work Requirement Waivers Must Make Changes: How the OBB Changed the Landscape for Medicaid Work Requirements, Georgetown Center for Children and Families.
• Insights Blog: Not Just a Budget Cut: How 17 Million Lives Are Being Harmed by “One Big Beautiful Bill”, Families USA.
• Insights Blog: Actions by Trump and Congress are Leading to Skyrocketing Insurance Premiums in 2026, Families USA.

• Report: Rural Hospital Revenue Could Drop by $87 Billion over 10 Years Because of the Reconciliation Bill and Expiring Enhanced Tax Credits, Urban Institute.

• Insights Blog: Marketplace Final Rule Sets Major Hurdles to Coverage, Families USA.

• Video: 90 Seconds or Less Policy Explainers. Families USA.

• Comments: Families USA Submits Comments On Preserving Medicaid Funding for Vulnerable Populations — Closing a Health Care-Related Tax Loophole Proposed Rule, Families USA.
• Comments: Families USA Submits Comments On the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan 1115 Demonstration Amendment, Families USA.

• Report: How Medicaid and SNAP Cutbacks in the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Would Trigger Big and Bigger Job Losses Across States, The Commonwealth Fund

• Fact Sheets: Congressional Medicaid Fact Sheets, Families USA.

• Sign On Letter Wrap Up: More than 85 National Organizations Urge Senate to Reject “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” Health Care Cuts and Prioritize Transparency, Rigor of Analysis, and Constituents’ Health Access (06/15/2025), Families USA.
• Analysis: Medicaid Expansion Reduces Maternal Mortality: Medicaid Cuts Would Be Deadly for Mothers and Babies, Families USA.

• Fact Sheet: Fact Sheet: Republicans Are Working to Gut Medicaid, a Lifeline for People With Mental Health Conditions and Opioid Addiction, Protect Our Care.

• Insights Blog: Work Reporting Requirements Don’t Work: An in-depth look as Idaho moves closer to adding costly red tape to Medicaid, Families USA.

• Media Coverage of Families USA and State Partners Advocacy Work
  • Idaho Stateman – Under Idaho Medicaid law, doctors warn kids’ access to primary care is at risk
  • Maine Morning Star -  Report warns hospitals in Aroostook, Ellsworth face imminent risk of closure due to Medicaid cuts
  • urango Herald (op-ed) - Rep. Jeff Hurd has turned his back on Colorado’s 3rd District
  • Maine Morning Star: Medicaid cuts could cost Maine hospitals $66 million a year, report finds
  • Charleston Gazette Mail:  Already struggling WV hospitals brace for costly budget reconciliation law impacts

  • Argonaut, University of Idaho’s student newspaper - Idaho senators and representative signal support for Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill”

Have a great week,

Nate Keller

Senior Associate, Organizing and Mobilization

Families USA

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