On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand held a virtual press conference to demand an end to the government shutdown and an extension of the tax credits that help small businesses, their employees, and self-employed individuals afford health care.

“We are now in the longest government shutdown in history, and Republicans are still playing politics instead of working with Democrats to prevent massive health care cost spikes,” Gillibrand said. “Small businesses are already struggling with rising costs in President Trump’s America. If enhanced ACA tax credits expire, the 4.4 million small business workers and self-employed Americans who rely on them to make ends meet will be forced to either pay sky-high health insurance premiums or lose their coverage. This is a devastating ultimatum with potentially life-threatening consequences–and it’s one that our small business workforce shouldn’t have to consider. That’s why I’m continuing to demand that my Republican colleagues work with Democrats to extend enhanced ACA tax credits to lower costs for small business owners, employees, and self-employed New Yorkers and reopen the government.”

Without an extension, ACA enhanced premium tax credits will expire at the end of 2025, causing over 20 million Americans – including 4.4 million small business owners and self-employed individuals – to see a drastic increase in health insurance costs.

The expiration of these enhanced tax credits will have a particularly devastating impact on small business employees and self-employed individuals, who do not have access to traditional employer-based coverage. This is forcing these individuals to make a devastating choice: either go without insurance or pay for premiums that they cannot afford. In New York State, there are a projected 66,000 small business owners and 34,800 self-employed enrollees who receive coverage through the ACA Marketplace.

Gillibrand emphasized the need to extend ACA subsidies permanently and immediately, as the open enrollment period for the health insurance marketplace began on Nov. 1. She urged her Republican colleagues to come to the negotiating table to help Democrats reach a bipartisan agreement to lower health care costs and reopen the government.