Pappas Introduces Legislation to Extend 2026 ACA Open Enrollment Period

Today Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) introduced the Right to Enroll Act. This legislation would extend the 2026 open enrollment period through May 1, 2026. Extending the enrollment period would provide individuals and families more time to assess Marketplace prices and make an informed decision about health insurance coverage, as Pappas continues fighting to extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits.

“While I continue pushing for the extension of the Affordable Care Act enhanced premium tax credits that make health insurance more affordable for millions of Americans, we have to face the reality that open enrollment has begun and individuals are seeing their premiums double or even triple. We have to take action now to give people the time and flexibility they need to choose their coverage amidst confusion caused by Republican inaction,” said Congressman Pappas. “Open enrollment must be extended. I’ve called on President Trump to take this simple step administratively, but if he won’t act then Congress must.”

This legislation has 13 original cosponsors, including Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02). Earlier this week, Pappas called for the Trump administration to extend the ACA open enrollment period to May 1.

This legislation is endorsed by Protect Our Care, Third Way, and the American Academy of Family Physicians.

“While congressional Republicans skip work and dole out tax breaks for billionaires, millions of Americans are making heart-wrenching decisions because the GOP more than doubled their premiums for next year,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress must heed the pleas of the vast majority of Americans who believe working families shouldn’t have to drain their savings just to see a doctor. Republicans need to end their refusal to pass legislation to make ACA credits permanent. Until then, the very least Congress can do is pass Rep. Pappas’s common sense Right to Enroll Act to give families more time to make life-or-death decisions about their health care.”

"The Right to Enroll Act is a commonsense, pro-family solution, and we applaud Congressman Chris Pappas for his introduction of this bill. With open enrollment in full swing, this is a practical fix to help Americans keep and choose the coverage that works best for them. As premiums rise due to Republican inaction, we thank Congressman Pappas for giving families more time to evaluate their options and adjust," said Darbin Wofford, Deputy Director of Health Care at Third Way.

Background:

Pappas supports legislation that would prevent extreme increases in health care premiums next year by extending the enhanced premium tax credits that keep health insurance affordable for Granite Staters and small businesses. Pappas also joined a letter to Speaker Johnson highlighting the major impacts on small businesses if the enhanced premium tax credits are not reinstated, urging the Speaker to end the shutdown by passing legislation to extend the enhanced premium tax credits immediately.

Pappas held a roundtable with leadership from Lamprey Health Care about the burden of these increased costs, during which they shared stories about the impact the lapse will have on their patients, as well as the news that the health center's annual premium to cover their staff is also expected to increase by 40% next year. Small businesses across New Hampshire are bearing these costs, including a manufacturer Pappas visited that expects to see a 38% increase in its health insurance costs next year due to the lapse of the tax credits.