ACA

Nearly 80% of Americans want Congress to extend ACA tax credits, poll finds

ACA, health, health care / Mike M. / October 4, 2025

According to new polling data, nearly 80 percent of Americans support extending Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits, which are set to expire at the end of this year—and are at the center of a funding dispute that led to a shutdown of the federal government this week.

The poll, conducted by KFF and released Friday, found that 78 percent of Americans want the tax credits extended, including 92 percent of Democrats, 59 percent of Republicans—and even a majority (57 percent) of Republicans who identify as Donald Trump-aligned MAGA (Make America Great Again) supporters.

A separate analysis published by KFF earlier this week found that if the credits are not extended, monthly premiums for ACA Marketplace plans would more than double on average. Specifically, the current average premium of $888 would jump to $1,904 in 2026, a 114 percent increase.

Consequences

The polling released today found that, in addition to broad support for the credits, many Americans are unaware that they are in peril. About six in ten adults say they have heard “a little” (30 percent) or “nothing at all” (31 percent) about the credits expiring.

“There is a hot debate in Washington about the looming ACA premium hikes, but our poll shows that most people in the marketplaces don’t know about them yet and are in for a shock when they learn about them in November,” KFF President and CEO Drew Altman said in a statement.

Yet more concerning, the poll found that among people who buy their own insurance plans, 70 percent said they would face a significant disruption to their household finances if their premiums were to double. Furthermore, 42 percent said they would ultimately go without health insurance in such a case. Currently, over 24 million Americans get their insurance through the ACA Marketplace.

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SCOTUS upholds part of ACA that makes preventive care fully covered

The USPSTF is made up of 16 medical experts who carefully review scientific data and run models to assess what preventive health interventions are best, using a framework of recommendation gradings from A to F. Any recommendations graded A or B by the task force are required by the ACA to be covered by health plans at no cost to patients.

The US health department argued that the task force members are, in fact, appointed, and under control of the health secretary, a role currently filled by anti-vaccine advocate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Two lower courts in Texas sided with the Christian group, saying that the government violated the appointments clause.

But today, in a 6–3 ruling, the Supreme Court disagreed. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh, Elena Kagan, Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Sonia Sotomayor made up the majority.

Writing on their behalf, Kavanaugh explained: “Task Force members are supervised and directed by the Secretary, who in turn answers to the President, preserving the chain of command in Article II.”

While the ruling means that coverage of preventive health care is no longer under threat, the ruling clarifies that the health secretary has direct authority over the USPSTF. The clarification raises concern that the current secretary, Kennedy, could remove task force members and/or undo recommendations to suit his personal ideology, as he is now doing with the vaccine advisory board at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.