Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1) has filed a discharge petition to bring the Bipartisan Health Insurance Affordability Act directly to the House floor for a vote. The move is intended to prompt congressional action before current protections against health insurance premium increases expire at the end of the year.
Fitzpatrick stated, “Congress cannot sit idle while American families face a preventable crisis. Our job is to protect the people we serve, and that responsibility demands immediate action.
If these protections expire, millions of Americans will be hit with premium increases they simply cannot afford, forcing impossible choices about their health, their finances, and their futures. They deserve a concrete solution now — not promises of one later.
For months, I have worked with Republicans and Democrats in both chambers, along with input from the Administration, to build a bipartisan solution that can actually pass—not a political messaging exercise. This bill delivers the urgent help families need now, while giving Congress the runway to keep improving our healthcare system for the long term. Responsible governance means securing 80 percent of what families need today, rather than risking 100 percent of nothing tomorrow.
Filing this discharge petition ensures the House will have the opportunity—and obligation—to vote. Every member must decide whom they serve: the people, or the politics. We can prevent this — and we must. If 217 of my colleagues are willing to join me in putting constituents first, we can protect working- and middle-class families from a catastrophic crisis.
Our neighbors are counting on us. I’m calling on my colleagues to sign this petition, bring this two-party solution to the floor, and deliver the security and certainty American families deserve.”
The Bipartisan Health Insurance Affordability Act was introduced by Fitzpatrick along with Representatives Jared Golden (ME-02), Tom Suozzi (NY-02), Don Bacon (NE-02), Rob Bresnahan (PA-08), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03), Donald G. Davis (NC-01), and Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11). The legislation aims to prevent significant increases in healthcare costs as enhanced premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act are set to expire.
Without legislative intervention, many Americans could face higher premiums or lose coverage due to these expiring credits—potentially destabilizing markets relied upon by working families.
Key provisions in the bill include extending enhanced premium tax credits through 2027; requiring consent and notification before plan or subsidy changes; increasing transparency regarding pharmacy benefit managers; expanding access to Health Savings Accounts; simplifying premium payments; modernizing eligibility requirements; and introducing minimum contributions for federal affordability programs.
Brian Fitzpatrick has represented Pennsylvania’s 1st district in Congress since 2017 after succeeding Mike Fitzpatrick. He was born in Philadelphia in 1973 and currently resides in Levittown. Fitzpatrick graduated from La Salle University with a BS degree in 1996 and earned his JD from Pennsylvania State University’s Carlisle campus in 2001.
