GERMANTOWN, Md., Nov. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The HealthWell Foundation®, an independent non-profit charitable organization that provides financial assistance for underinsured Americans, has launched a new fund to provide premium assistance to individuals who have obtained health care coverage through an Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace plan. Through the fund, HealthWell will provide up to $2,000 in insurance premium assistance to eligible individuals with annual household incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
Enhanced subsidies for ACA Marketplace plans are set to expire at the end of 2025, unless they are renewed by Congress. Since 2021, these enhanced subsidies have lowered monthly premium payments for the vast majority of Marketplace enrollees, across incomes.
If enhanced subsidies expire, Americans will face steep increases in premium payments for Marketplace plans, making health care coverage unattainable for many. The HealthWell Foundation recognizes the resulting undue financial hardship this will cause for millions of Americans. In anticipation of the impending increases in premiums, HealthWell stands ready to assist America’s most vulnerable in accessing critical, potentially lifesaving, health care. Through the new fund, HealthWell will provide up to $2,000 in financial assistance for a 12-month period to help eligible individuals pay for premium coverage through an ACA Marketplace health plan. Applicants for the fund must be enrolled in or newly enrolled in an ACA Marketplace plan (Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum); have a household income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, be eligible for subsidy upon renewal, and reside in the United States.
“We are honored to once again be able to provide financial relief to Americans who struggle to afford their health care premiums. When enhanced subsidies expire, millions of Americans will be in a dire situation of having to go without health care coverage because they can’t afford it,” said Michael S. Heimall, FACHE, President & CEO, HealthWell Foundation. “For many, especially those living with chronic or life-altering illnesses, going without health care and access to potentially lifesaving treatments will have catastrophic consequences. Through this fund, we aim to ease the financial burden of paying for health care premiums through Marketplace plans so people can continue to access and afford the care they need and deserve. Thank you to our dedicated donors for their generosity which allows us to continue to provide help, healing, and hope through this devastating situation.”
Mr. Heimall continued, “Industry predicts millions of Americans will experience unprecedented increases in insurance premiums, which will ultimately put a financial burden on even healthy families. We are excited about the launch of this fund but must be realistic in our expectations as to how long it will remain open given the demand. While we hope to help as many people as possible obtain insurance through marketplace plans, funding is limited and we anticipate that it may be exhausted rather quickly causing us to close the fund. We continue to seek corporate and individual donors to raise additional funding for this special initiative.”
Previously, the HealthWell Foundation provided similar financial support through the COVID-19 Insurance Premium Assistance Payment Fund. Through the fund, HealthWell provided up to $6,000 in financial assistance for workers who had been laid off or furloughed as a result of the COVID-19 health crisis. We were proud to award over 1,500 grants totaling approximately $3.3 million in premium assistance so individuals impacted by the COVID-19 health crisis could start or continue critical medical treatments. The fund was closed in 2021 due to the implementation of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
Visit the ACA Marketplace Insurance Premium Assistance Fund page to learn more about the fund. To learn about HealthWell Foundation programs and our robust disease fund portfolio, visit our website at HealthWellFoundation.org.
Individuals and corporations interested in supporting this initiative, please contact Sarina Robbins, Director, Development & Growth, at Development@HealthWellFoundation.org.
About the HealthWell Foundation
A nationally recognized, independent non-profit organization founded in 2003 and a resource to the White House Cancer Moonshot Initiative, the HealthWell Foundation has served as a safety net across over 90 disease areas for more than 1.1 million underinsured patients. Since its inception, HealthWell has provided over $4.8 billion in financial support through more than 1.8 million grants to access life-changing medical treatments patients otherwise would not be able to afford. HealthWell provides financial assistance to adults and children facing medical hardship resulting from gaps in their insurance that cause out-of-pocket medical expenses to escalate rapidly; HealthWell assists with the treatment-related cost-sharing obligations of these patients. HealthWell ranked 24th on the 2024 Forbes list of America’s Top 100 Charities and was recognized for its 100 percent fundraising efficiency. For more information, visit HealthWellFoundation.org.Â
CONTACT:
Ginny Dunn
240-632-5309
ginny.dunn@healthwellfoundation.orgÂ
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SOURCE HealthWell Foundation
