In his last constituent newsletter of 2025, Rep. Tom Kean Jr cited his vote for the “Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act,” and claimed it would “lower insurance premiums by an estimated 11%.” 

In fact, the bill would not directly change premiums. It would do some potentially positive things: It would appropriate funds to reduce deductibles, copays and coinsurance for low-income people buying insurance on the ACA marketplace. It would enable small businesses to band together and offer health plans to their workers. And it would require Pharmacy Benefit Managers to deal more transparently with employer health plans in setting prescription drug prices.

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Those changes could lead insurers to reduce premiums and could reduce overall costs – for some people in some circumstances. 

But crucially, the bill does not renew the enhanced ACA premium tax credits that expired Jan. 1. And that is directly increasing premiums for millions of Americans enrolled in health plans through ACA marketplaces – doubling the cost in many cases. Those affected include more than 45,000 NJ07 residents enrolled through New Jersey's ACA marketplace, GetCoveredNJ.

Congressman Kean said in his newsletter that he remains committed to extending the ACA premium tax credits “as soon as possible” by forging “a responsible bi-partisan solution.” Yet he voted to pass the Republican healthcare bill that doesn’t extend the credit. And he failed to mention that Republican leadership blocked alternative bills which would have extended the tax credits for 2 or 4 years.

Kean also didn’t mention that he voted with his Republican Party earlier last year to approve the so-called Big Beautiful Bill – rejecting Democratic proposals to add an extension of the expiring ACA premium tax credit through 2026. He also backed his party when it shut down the government rather than include an extension of the credit in a government funding bill. 
 

Kean’s expressed willingness to act in a bipartisan manner rings hollow given that he sided with his party three times in defeating Democratic efforts to preserve the ACA credit.

In short, Congressman Kean claims he’s committed to extending the ACA premium tax credits – and claims to seek bipartisan solutions to rising health care costs. Yet he repeatedly has refused to join with Democrats in supporting bills that would have avoided the soaring ACA premiums now taking effect.
 

Does Kean seek “bipartisan solutions” only when Republican leadership gives the green light?

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When the needs of his NJ07 constituents conflict with the Republican Party line, Congressman Kean makes it very clear which he cares about.