CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Texas is bracing for a spike in Affordable Care Act premiums next year, with costs expected to rise by about 35% on average as federal subsidies expire Dec. 31.
The increase could leave many Texans to decline healthcare coverage. But one startup is stepping in to offer an alternative.
"In Texas, two million people will or could lose their health insurance coverage," said Dr. Renee Dua, co-founder of Tendollar Telehealth.
The federal subsidies that have made ACA coverage affordable are set to expire at year's end, meaning many Texans will face the full cost of premiums.
"When those subsidies go away, then the insurance company is going to have to sell their product at a cost that makes sense to them and for their operation," Dua said.
Texas already has the highest uninsured rate in the country at about 16%. In Nueces County, that number reaches 18%.
Dua and her team created Tendollar Telehealth to address the growing affordability crisis.
"You don't have to go anywhere. You don't have to make an appointment, you don't have to use your insurance," she said.
The service offers healthcare consultations via phone, laptop or computer with a webcam for $10 per year plus $10 per appointment. There are no co-pays or deductibles. Licensed providers deliver a variety of health services through the platform.
"We do not people choosing between getting food or getting healthcare," Dua said.
A bill introduced in Congress in September could extend the subsidies, but its future remains uncertain. Dua said that won't change her company's mission.
"Whether or not it gets extended, there's still this constant back and forth that I don't want to live through. I don't want to see my patients living through it," she said.
The service is set to launch Jan. 12, 2026.
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