Congress Votes on ACA Tax Credits

On Jan. 8, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to extend tax credits for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) through 2028. 17 Republican House members joined Democrats to pass the bill. The bill was sent to the Senate, although a vote has not yet been scheduled.



Without ACA tax credits, many Americans can expect to see drastically increased monthly health insurance costs. About 800,000 fewer Americans have signed up for an ACA plan compared to this time last year. The 3.5% enrollment decrease coincides with overall higher monthly premiums for enrollees since the beginning of the year.

ASDA will continue to monitor the bill and keep you updated.



Trump Administration Reports Rejections for IDR Plan Enrollment

According to a court filing from the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) settlement last month, the Department of Education has increased the number of rejections it issues to student loan borrowers requesting to enroll in an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan. The Department rejected 327,955 requests last August alone.

The filing explains that requests to enroll in a plan offering the lowest monthly payment were “procedurally denied” when two plans resulted in the same monthly payment.

The backlog of requests to enroll in an IDR plan has grown to over 800,000. Read more from CNBC.

Student Loan Forgiveness is Taxable Again


During the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act, which excluded any student loan debt taken out from Dec. 31, 2020, through Jan. 1, 2026, from taxable income. With the expiration of the APR, borrowers enrolled in IDR plans such as IBR, ICR or PAYE will likely face higher taxes this year. The Department of Education has indicated that relief from the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program will not be considered taxable income.



South Carolina Bill Seeks to Ban Fluoride

Republican State Senator Carlisle Kennedy and Representative Lee Gilreath filed bills in the South Carolina legislatures that would prohibit municipalities from adding fluoride to public drinking water. To the press, Rep. Gilreath cited foreign studies that analyzed the effects of fluoride at levels more than four times the recommended amount. Read more.

Arizona Legislator Introduces Bill to Ban Fluoride

Last month, Arizona State Senator Janae Shamp introduced SB 1019, which would ban fluoride or fluoride-containing compounds in public water systems. A press release from Arizona Republicans asserts this bill is concerned with mandatory fluoridation and aims to protect children’s oral health from “unnecessary chemicals.” Read more.

Kentucky Senate Bill Would Make Fluoride Optional

Kentucky Senate Bill 55, introduced last Friday, would allow local governments to opt out of state water fluoridation programs. The bill specifies that fluoridation, as regulated by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, would continue until action is taken by local authorities overseeing a public water system. 

• North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein (D) announced a reversal of cuts to Medicaid reimbursement rates. Read more.

• Last month, Nebraska became the first state to implement Medicaid work requirements from the One Big Beautiful Bill. Read more.



• A bill filed ahead of the Maine legislature’s 2026 session would permit dental hygienists to administer local anesthesia or nitrous oxide analgesia without dentist supervision. Read more about ASDA’s stances on independent practice dental hygienists and midlevel providers.