U.S. Senator joins Nebraska For Us, experts for town hall of soaring health care costs and challenges

Local coalition urges Reps. Bacon and Flood to permanently extend health care tax credits

OMAHA, Nebraska (December 5, 2025)—U.S. Senator Peter Welch of Vermont joined Nebraska For Us, OpenSky Policy Institute, and Nebraskans affected by health care policies for a wide ranging town hall on the soaring cost of health care, waning access in rural communities, and the fast-approaching deadline to address expiring health care tax credits with just 10 days left until open enrollment ends.

“The only relief we can get right now before January 1 is from the United States Congress,” U.S. Senator Peter Welch said. “It is dismaying to me that while we are seeing this trainwreck coming, there is an unwillingness to mitigate the harm. This is about to happen, and it is going to be brutally devastating. This is a five-alarm fire. Who could give Elon Musk a tax break and pay for it by taking away money for kids from SNAP?”

“There are about 110,000 Nebraskans potentially affected by these credits going away if Congress chooses not to act on it before the end of the year,” said Dr. Rebecca Firestone, OpenSky Policy Institute Executive Director. “We are also dealing with the slower challenge of Medicaid cuts. The state of Nebraska is facing significant budget challenges. We are now facing a budget deficit of $471 million due, in part, to decisions made at the federal level.”

“My husband and I are looking to pay another $688 per month just to keep our current health insurance plan in 2026,” Omaha resident Audrey Horn said. “There is no way anyone can afford to pay a bill that goes up by that much. We will not go without health care, but I know others will simply give up on applying for coverage next year. It is cruel to turn Americans’ pocketbooks into a game.”

“I am here today because of Medicaid,” Lincoln resident Amanda Gershon said. “With my health problems, I need good health care so I can continue to fight health challenges and live my life. These last few months have been very difficult for the disabled community. It has caused stress to people in so many different communities."

Nebraska For Us welcomed dozens of attendees to Creighton University’s campus Friday night for the town hall. All year long, Nebraska For Us has called attention to health care cuts in the Republican Tax Law that impact Medicaid, rural providers, tax credits, and other areas. Losses of hospitals and clinics in rural Nebraska will cause demand for care to rise in larger communities like Omaha and Lincoln.

“With the tax credits expiring, more and more Nebraskans are likely to decide not to keep their health insurance after seeing how high their premiums will be in 2026.” Nebraska For Us State Director Angie Lauritsen said. “Time is running out for Congress to do much of anything despite months of repeated warnings. This needs to change.”

Nebraska For Us continues to call on Congressmen Don Bacon and Mike Flood to make that extension permanent. But in the meantime, they should sign onto a discharge petition that needs just a few more signatures to force a vote on a three-year extension.