Vasquez Shines Light on Looming Expiration of ACA Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Harm on New Mexicans’ Health and Costs
LAS CRUCES, NM, UNITED STATES, September 25, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Today, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) hosted a roundtable and press conference on the looming expiration of Affordable Care Act Enhanced Premium Tax Credits (EPTCs). He stressed the negative impact letting these tax credits expire would have on New Mexicans’ health outcomes and cost of living, as well as why these tax credits are front and center in current negotiations over a possible government shutdown.
View the press conference here.
Joined by patients who benefit from the EPTCs, caregivers, health care providers, and health care officials, Vasquez delivered a clear message: Congress must act now because New Mexicans cannot afford skyrocketing premiums.
Vasquez emphasized that if Congressional Republicans allow the EPTCs to expire, over 51,000 New Mexicans will see an average increase of $578 per month in health care premium costs. For those living in rural areas across the country, the hit will be even worse: premiums could rise by as much as 90 percent. Vasquez underscored that these aren’t abstract numbers — they represent small business owners and others across southern New Mexico who could be priced out of access to health care.
“For many New Mexico families, these tax credits are the difference between being able to see a doctor or losing health coverage altogether,” said Vasquez. “And when New Mexicans are pushed off their health care coverage — whether it be from the expiration of these tax credits or the recent Republican cuts to Medicaid — health care costs will rise across New Mexico, as hospitals and providers charge people with private insurance more to offset the cost of caring for the uninsured. This is everyone’s problem.”
Vasquez highlighted his Protecting Healthcare and Lowering Costs Act, which would permanently extend the EPTCs and lift the income cap so more middle-class families can access relief. The bill would also reverse recent cuts to Medicaid. He also noted that the day prior he — joined by 55 of his colleagues — had sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson raising concerns about the Speaker’s decision to cancel voting days ahead of the government shutdown and urging bipartisan negotiations to keep the government open and health care costs low.
Community speakers included:
Virgil Medina, CEO at La Clinica De Familia
Dr. Andazola, Chief Medical Officer at La Clinica De Familia
Yvette Ramirez Ammerman, CEO at NM Primary Care Association
Victoria Hernandez, Outreach and Engagement Specialist at BeWell
Key concerns raised by roundtable attendees and community speakers around the expiration of ACA EPTCs included:
- Hospital and clinic closures in local communities, as well as a resulting loss in good-paying jobs
- A decrease in patient access to preventative care and worsening health outcomes
- Rising mortality rates
- Health care service reductions
- Decreased access to specialists
“We employ 540 individuals in the surrounding area, and the impact of the expiration of these tax credits could be devastating to those individuals, as well as for our low- and middle-income patients,” said Virgil Medina, CEO at La Clinica De Familia. “Uncompensated care will continue to fall in our lap. But our ability to tap into some of the coverages that currently exist allows us to keep our doors open. These cuts are going to continue to make that a huge challenge as that uncompensated care number rises, and the number of services we can offer to patients will suffer. We will be forced to make some very, very difficult decisions that impact the communities we live in and continue to serve. As patients skip or delay care, we will see people come in sicker and sicker, making it hard for our doctors to provide the care that they need.”
“We are going to have to make cuts. We might have to close clinics. What happens to patients if they don’t have clinics available in their communities? All that does is worsen the overall health of our community,” said Dr. Andazola, Chief Medical Officer at La Clinica De Familia. “The number one cause of bankruptcy in the United States is health care bills. And today, we are talking about cutting coverage for people that barely have it. What does that do? Those people are going to come to us sicker. We need to put roadblocks in front of all these cuts — to Medicaid cuts, to the expiration of ACA enhanced premium tax credits — to reduce threats to our patients.”
“We aren’t even meeting the health needs of people in Las Cruces right now. To imagine more cuts doesn’t even seem realistic,” said Tamara, a patient at La Clinica De Familia. “I am a disabled person from COVID, and if I could no longer see specialists, how would I be able to receive the help I need? I am in chronic pain everyday, and I know I am not the only one. There are thousands of other people like me that are in the same situation as me.”
“If money goes away from these clinics, they will go away, and they will be very hard to replace,” said Yvette Ramirez Ammerman, CEO at NM Primary Care Association. “Everyone will be in the ERs, and mortality rates will rise. Thank you Congressman, for taking on this issue and supporting community health centers.”
“Currently in New Mexico, we have over 75,000 of our fellow New Mexicans who get their health insurance through BeWell. Of those individuals, about 88% currently receive enhanced premium tax credits. If coverage becomes unaffordable, New Mexicans are going to be forced to make some tough decisions, like whether they continue to receive coverage or make their car payment. We are asking Congress to act now,” said Victoria Hernandez, Outreach and Engagement Specialist at BeWell.
“We are in a moment of truth in Congress right now with this fight over the expiration of ACA enhanced premium tax credits. It’s not a red issue, it’s not a blue issue — it’s an American issue. We all deserve to access health care,” said Vasquez.
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View the press conference here.
Joined by patients who benefit from the EPTCs, caregivers, health care providers, and health care officials, Vasquez delivered a clear message: Congress must act now because New Mexicans cannot afford skyrocketing premiums.
Vasquez emphasized that if Congressional Republicans allow the EPTCs to expire, over 51,000 New Mexicans will see an average increase of $578 per month in health care premium costs. For those living in rural areas across the country, the hit will be even worse: premiums could rise by as much as 90 percent. Vasquez underscored that these aren’t abstract numbers — they represent small business owners and others across southern New Mexico who could be priced out of access to health care.
“For many New Mexico families, these tax credits are the difference between being able to see a doctor or losing health coverage altogether,” said Vasquez. “And when New Mexicans are pushed off their health care coverage — whether it be from the expiration of these tax credits or the recent Republican cuts to Medicaid — health care costs will rise across New Mexico, as hospitals and providers charge people with private insurance more to offset the cost of caring for the uninsured. This is everyone’s problem.”
Vasquez highlighted his Protecting Healthcare and Lowering Costs Act, which would permanently extend the EPTCs and lift the income cap so more middle-class families can access relief. The bill would also reverse recent cuts to Medicaid. He also noted that the day prior he — joined by 55 of his colleagues — had sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson raising concerns about the Speaker’s decision to cancel voting days ahead of the government shutdown and urging bipartisan negotiations to keep the government open and health care costs low.
Community speakers included:
Virgil Medina, CEO at La Clinica De Familia
Dr. Andazola, Chief Medical Officer at La Clinica De Familia
Yvette Ramirez Ammerman, CEO at NM Primary Care Association
Victoria Hernandez, Outreach and Engagement Specialist at BeWell
Key concerns raised by roundtable attendees and community speakers around the expiration of ACA EPTCs included:
- Hospital and clinic closures in local communities, as well as a resulting loss in good-paying jobs
- A decrease in patient access to preventative care and worsening health outcomes
- Rising mortality rates
- Health care service reductions
- Decreased access to specialists
“We employ 540 individuals in the surrounding area, and the impact of the expiration of these tax credits could be devastating to those individuals, as well as for our low- and middle-income patients,” said Virgil Medina, CEO at La Clinica De Familia. “Uncompensated care will continue to fall in our lap. But our ability to tap into some of the coverages that currently exist allows us to keep our doors open. These cuts are going to continue to make that a huge challenge as that uncompensated care number rises, and the number of services we can offer to patients will suffer. We will be forced to make some very, very difficult decisions that impact the communities we live in and continue to serve. As patients skip or delay care, we will see people come in sicker and sicker, making it hard for our doctors to provide the care that they need.”
“We are going to have to make cuts. We might have to close clinics. What happens to patients if they don’t have clinics available in their communities? All that does is worsen the overall health of our community,” said Dr. Andazola, Chief Medical Officer at La Clinica De Familia. “The number one cause of bankruptcy in the United States is health care bills. And today, we are talking about cutting coverage for people that barely have it. What does that do? Those people are going to come to us sicker. We need to put roadblocks in front of all these cuts — to Medicaid cuts, to the expiration of ACA enhanced premium tax credits — to reduce threats to our patients.”
“We aren’t even meeting the health needs of people in Las Cruces right now. To imagine more cuts doesn’t even seem realistic,” said Tamara, a patient at La Clinica De Familia. “I am a disabled person from COVID, and if I could no longer see specialists, how would I be able to receive the help I need? I am in chronic pain everyday, and I know I am not the only one. There are thousands of other people like me that are in the same situation as me.”
“If money goes away from these clinics, they will go away, and they will be very hard to replace,” said Yvette Ramirez Ammerman, CEO at NM Primary Care Association. “Everyone will be in the ERs, and mortality rates will rise. Thank you Congressman, for taking on this issue and supporting community health centers.”
“Currently in New Mexico, we have over 75,000 of our fellow New Mexicans who get their health insurance through BeWell. Of those individuals, about 88% currently receive enhanced premium tax credits. If coverage becomes unaffordable, New Mexicans are going to be forced to make some tough decisions, like whether they continue to receive coverage or make their car payment. We are asking Congress to act now,” said Victoria Hernandez, Outreach and Engagement Specialist at BeWell.
“We are in a moment of truth in Congress right now with this fight over the expiration of ACA enhanced premium tax credits. It’s not a red issue, it’s not a blue issue — it’s an American issue. We all deserve to access health care,” said Vasquez.
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Delaney Wehn
Office of Rep. Gabe Vasquez
+1 724-249-7158
email us here
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