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Michigan Gov. Whitmer Urges Congress To Lower Healthcare Costs

(CBS DETROIT) -- Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer joined 13 other governors urging Congress to reduce healthcare costs.

The governors are asking lawmakers to make the advance premium tax credits (APTC) permanent under the American Rescue Plan (ARP).

"Right now, working families in Michigan and across the country are facing rising costs on groceries, gas, and other everyday expenses," Whitmer said in a statement.

"Getting this done will lower costs and protect access to healthcare coverage for over 270,000 Michiganders. I am focused on growing our economy, creating good-paying jobs, and lowering costs for working families, and I urge congressional leaders to come together and get this done so we can protect healthcare coverage and lower costs for millions of Americans."

The APTC provides advance payments to lower monthly healthcare premiums for eligible families. For the years 2021 and 2022, those with a household income of no more than 400% of the federal poverty line qualify, according to the IRS.

Officials say the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 expanded and enhanced the APTC; however, the ARP subsidy expansion is set to expire at the end of 2022.

In a letter to congressional leaders, the governors say the Biden Administration estimated 3.4 million consumers who are currently enrolled could lose coverage if the expansion expires.

"As inflation continues to put a strain on consumers' budgets, we are concerned that many people will choose to reduce health insurance coverage or even go without coverage if Congress fails to act," read the letter.

Other governors who signed the letter include JB Pritzker of Illinois, Gavin Newsom of California, Jared Polis of Colorado, Ned Lamont of Connecticut, Steve Sisolak of Nevada, Phil Murphy of New Jersey, Kathy Hochul of New York, Roy Cooper of North Carolina, Kate Brown of Oregon, Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania, Dan McKee of Rhode Island, Albert Bryan of the Territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands and Jay Inslee of Washington.

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