***For Immediate Release***
November 13, 2025
Contact: Sierra Salgado Pirigyi
Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed
Office: 402-438-8853 x116
sierrasp@neappleseed.org
RELEASE: Nebraskans still at risk of losing health coverage as government shutdown ends.
Congress has failed to extend the expiring enhanced premium tax credits, on which thousands of Nebraskans rely.
LINCOLN, NE – After 43 days, Congress has taken action to end the federal government shutdown by passing a Continuing Resolution (CR) that will fund the government until January 30, 2026.
“On the same night the shutdown ended, Nebraska DHHS released partial November benefits to Nebraska SNAP recipients. This is a welcome relief for over 150,000 Nebraskans who have been forced to rely on community food banks and pantries. Now that the shutdown has ended, we know full November benefits will be released soon” said Eric Savaiano, Nebraska Appleseed’s Food and Nutrition Access Program Manager. “We know the Administration and US Department of Agriculture could have used their transfer authority – like previous administrations – to fund these benefits, but they did not. Food should not be used as a political tool, and we are glad this unnecessary food crisis is over for now.”
Unfortunately, the uncertainty continues for Nebraskans with Marketplace health coverage.
“We are extremely disappointed that this Continuing Resolution does not take any action to keep Affordable Care Act Marketplace premiums from skyrocketing for thousands of Nebraskans,” said Sarah Maresh, Nebraska Appleseed’s Health Care Access Program Director. “Open enrollment is now underway, and Nebraskans are seeing costs exponentially increase, because Congress has failed to extend the expiring enhanced premium tax credits, the subsidies that help make health care affordable for thousands of the 135,000+ Nebraskans with coverage through the ACA Marketplace. Without this extension, health care costs are unaffordable for Nebraskans, and 15,000 Nebraskans may be forced to go uninsured. It is crucial that we continue to reach out to our members of Congress and tell them Nebraskans cannot wait any longer – they must act now to keep health care affordable.”
# # #