Brain cancer patient pleads with lawmakers over expiring health care subsidies

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - An Iowa woman with brain cancer is urging the state’s congressional delegation to extend health care subsidies that she says are critical to affording her treatment.

Grace Calvert was diagnosed with Glioblastoma four months ago, a brain cancer with a median survival of 15 months. Doctors removed an egg-sized tumor and told her she likely had 22 months to live with treatment.

“In my case if I don’t have insurance I will die, and I’ll die sooner rather than later,” Calvert said.

Calvert uses insurance through the Affordable Care Act and qualifies for enhanced premium tax credits, which expire at the end of the year. When Republicans in Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act this summer, they decided not to extend the credits.

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