Fedorchak statement on discharge petition to extend Obamacare Enhanced Premium Tax Credits
Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak (R-ND) released the following statement after voting against a Democrat-led discharge petition to advance a three-year extension of the COVID-era Obamacare Enhanced Premium Tax Credits. Despite a recent nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation that confirmed widespread fraud, waste, and abuse in the program—estimated to be $27 billion annually—the legislation considered contains no reforms to crack down on fraud or strengthen eligibility verification.
“We can all agree: Obamacare is unaffordable and needs serious reforms to lower costs, increase transparency, and focus on better health outcomes for patients. Extending the enhanced premium subsidies—a temporary program that Democrats created to expire—will not achieve these long-term goals,” Fedorchak said. “Instead, this bill will give $80 billion of hardworking Americans’ tax dollars directly to for-profit insurance companies, with no language requiring lower premiums. Even worse, this discharge petition would allow federal tax dollars to subsidize abortion coverage in states where abortion is legal—something I cannot support. I understand these policies have real impacts on our families, which is why I support a responsible glide path off the current program. But we cannot double down on a government-led system that pours money into something that won’t fix what’s actually driving higher premiums.”
Fedorchak has been in close contact with North Dakota organizations on health care policy, including North Dakota Insurance Commissioner Jon Godfread.
“As Insurance Commissioner, I’ve been clear that Enhanced Premium Tax Credits help lower costs for many North Dakota families in the current system. At the same time, tax credits alone do not address the underlying drivers of increasing health care costs, and I understand the fiscal pressures and tradeoffs Congress must weigh when considering any extension,” said North Dakota Insurance Commissioner Jon Godfread. “I respect Congresswoman Fedorchak’s focus on program integrity and broader reforms, and I value our continued collaboration on policies that reduce costs and improve outcomes for North Dakotans.”
Today’s vote does not affect the original Affordable Care Act tax credits that have been available to income-eligible North Dakotans since the law was enacted. This vote is regarding the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits which temporarily increased the credit by expanding both income eligibility and the subsidy rate, which dramatically expanded federal spending without addressing the underlying failures of the ACA marketplace.
“Since the implementation of the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits four years ago, premiums have skyrocketed by 31 percent. For-profit national insurance companies owe the American people answers. Five of these national insurers will testify before the Energy and Commerce Committee on the 22nd, and I look forward to asking them about their massive rate increases directly,” Fedorchak added.
Fedorchak has supported Republican reforms to crack down on fraud, strengthen eligibility verification, and redirect health care dollars away from insurance companies and toward patients. She is a lead cosponsor of the More Affordable Care Act (MACA), which would reform the ACA marketplace by creating health savings accounts to put dollars directly in the hands of patients, allow health plans to be sold across state lines to expand competition, and codify price transparency for patients by requiring hospitals to publicly disclose negotiated rates, cash prices, and cost-sharing information.
“I commend Commissioner Godfread for his regulation of the industry to limit rate increases for North Dakotans. I too look forward to continuing our work on common sense solutions to make health care more affordable for the hardworking people of our state,” Fedorchak concluded.
In December 2025, Fedorchak voted for the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act, legislation to lower prescription drug costs, reduce premiums through Cost-Sharing Reductions (CSRs), expand Association Health Plans, protect access to employer-sponsored insurance, and empower patients to make better health care decisions.
ICYMI: Rep. Fedorchak in the Bismarck Tribune: Time to fix the Unaffordable Care Act
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