SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
Faith leaders from across Alabama are urging the state’s congressional delegation to take immediate action to permanently extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits, warning that failure to act could leave thousands of families without affordable health coverage.
In a joint letter sent Monday ahead of a planned U.S. Senate vote, 87 pastors and congregational and community leaders called on lawmakers to prevent the enhanced tax credits from expiring on December 31. The effort was organized by the Cover Alabama Coalition, a network of more than 50 organizations focused on healthcare policy advocacy.
“We, the undersigned pastors and faith leaders from across Alabama, write with urgency to ask you to protect the health and well-being of our congregations,” the letter states. “As families across our state are making decisions about their 2026 coverage right now, Congress must act quickly.”
The letter notes that nearly 500,000 Alabamians are enrolled in ACA health plans in 2025—more than at any time since the law took effect. Faith leaders emphasized that extending the tax credits is “not a partisan issue but a moral one,” rooted in religious teachings that call for caring for the sick and vulnerable.
“Our faith traditions teach us that every human life is sacred,” the letter reads. “Access to health care is not a privilege for the wealthy. It is a matter of justice and human dignity.”
According to data cited from the Kaiser Family Foundation, if the tax credits expire, insurance premiums in Alabama would rise an average of 93 percent. An estimated 130,000 Alabamians who currently receive subsidized coverage would be unable to afford insurance in 2026.
The letter highlights specific examples, including a 60-year-old couple earning $85,000 annually whose monthly premiums could jump from about $600 to more than $2,600.
“These are our neighbors, church members, elders and young parents,” the letter states. “Losing coverage will force them into impossible choices between paying medical bills, buying food or keeping a roof overhead.”
Open enrollment for ACA plans began November 1, and Alabamians must select 2026 coverage by December 15. The urgency is heightened as families make decisions without knowing whether subsidies will continue.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, has promised a vote on extending the tax credits. The Senate is expected to consider a Democrat-led proposal Thursday that would extend the subsidies for three years.
Faith leaders concluded by urging lawmakers to act in the public interest, warning that allowing the credits to expire would cause “widespread harm” to Alabama families.
