Lower Health Care Costs Act
This bill extends for three years, through 2028, temporary changes enacted by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) that generally expand eligibility for and increase the amount of the premium tax credit.
Currently, eligible taxpayers may be able to claim the premium tax credit, which applies toward the cost of obtaining health insurance through health insurance exchanges. To be eligible for the premium tax credit, a taxpayer’s household income must meet or exceed 100% of the federal poverty level (FPL) and, after 2025, may not exceed 400% of the FPL (maximum income limit). For 2021-2025, the ARPA and IRA eliminated the maximum income limit, which generally expands eligibility for the premium tax credit.
Further, under current law, the amount of the premium tax credit is (1) generally the plan premium (conditions apply), minus (2) the taxpayer’s household income multiplied by the applicable percentage. The applicable percentage is a specific percentage that varies depending on which of six income ranges (adjusted for inflation after 2025) the taxpayer’s household income falls within. For 2021-2025, the ARPA and IRA lowered the applicable percentages and eliminated the adjustment of the applicable percentages for inflation, which generally increases the amount of the premium tax credit.
The bill extends for three years, through 2028, the elimination of the 400% maximum income limit, the lower applicable percentages, and the elimination of the inflation adjustment for the applicable percentages.
| Action Date | Type | Text | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-11 | Vote | Cloture on the motion to proceed to the measure not invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 51 - 48. Record Vote Number: 644. (CR S8654-8655) | Senate |
| 2025-12-09 | Floor | Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the measure presented in Senate. (CR S8567) | Senate |
| 2025-12-09 | Floor | Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate. (CR S8567) | Senate |
| 2025-12-08 | Calendars | Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 284. | Senate |
| 2025-12-08 | Calendars | Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time. (Legislative Day December 4, 2025). (text: CR S8530-8531) | Senate |
| 2025-12-08 | IntroReferral | Introduced in Senate | Library of Congress |