Tue Dec 30 15:50:00 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the article and a rewritten news article based on the provided text:

Summary:

Enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits are expiring at the end of 2025, leading to significant premium increases for many Texans, especially in the Rio Grande Valley. The Rio Grande Valley saw rapid ACA enrollment growth due to these subsidies, with many paying very little for their plans. Without the credits, many are considering dropping coverage, potentially leading to a rise in the uninsured rate and increased reliance on emergency rooms. Healthcare providers and county officials are concerned about the impact on public health, particularly for those with chronic conditions. Local resources are preparing to handle an influx of uninsured individuals, but the loss of coverage is expected to strain the system.

News Article:

Rio Grande Valley Residents Face Healthcare Premium Shock as ACA Subsidies Expire

McALLEN, Texas – Hundreds of thousands of Rio Grande Valley residents who benefited from enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits are bracing for substantial healthcare premium increases in 2026. The expiration of these subsidies at the end of 2025 threatens to make health insurance unaffordable for many, potentially reversing years of progress in expanding coverage in the region.

The Rio Grande Valley saw ACA enrollment quadruple between 2020 and 2025, largely driven by the expanded tax credits that significantly lowered monthly premiums for many. Some residents, like Alix Flores of Brownsville, saw premiums as low as $12 per month. Flores’ premium is jumping to $275 a month.

These enhanced credits eliminated the “income cliff” and lowered the maximum percentage of income individuals paid towards premiums, making insurance “dirt cheap,” as one insurance consultant described it. In the Rio Grande Valley, 98% of ACA enrollees received an advanced premium tax credit.

Healthcare providers are now worried that the price hikes will force many to forgo insurance and regular checkups, leading to a surge in untreated chronic conditions. “That has been translating into more outpatient care for patients with chronic conditions and also for more screening of preventive measures for those now-insured patients,” said Dr. Eduardo Candanosa, a family medicine physician. Without the credits, residents may also rely on emergency rooms for acute care.

Hidalgo County, where 20% of the population benefits from ACA tax credits, is preparing for a potential surge in uninsured individuals. County officials are expanding existing programs and offering new low-cost services, but acknowledge the challenges of mitigating the impact of the subsidy expiration.

The rise in premiums for middle-income families will be substantial. One agent is seeing clients go from paying $90 or $100 a month to $300 or $400 per month.

The window for Congress to extend the enhanced tax credits is closing, leaving residents with uncertainty about the future of their healthcare coverage. The House recessed for the holidays, leaving little hope that the tax credits will be extended before they lapse on Dec. 31.

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