Sen. Wyden: “This is the most important issue in America, because if you and your loved ones don’t have your health care, everything else goes by the board.”
Just two days before millions of Americans will be confronted with massive health care premium increases for 2026, Senator Ron Wyden, Maryland State Delegate Adrian Boafo, and former Special Assistant to President Biden for Health Care Jessica Schubel participated in a press call hosted by Defend America Action to discuss Donald Trump’s health care crisis.
The speakers highlighted how the Affordable Care Act tax credits have been a godsend for the American people, helping millions who couldn’t otherwise afford their monthly premiums. If Trump and Congressional Republicans succeed in ending those credits, it will do immeasurable harm to individuals, families, and communities across the country, effectively pricing out millions of Americans and jacking up costs for millions more.
In addition, Defend America Action released a new report on the political peril Republicans face as a result of their government shutdown and failure to address the health care crisis they created, as well as a letter signed by dozens of state legislators calling on Republicans to extend the ACA tax credits, citing the harm being inflicted on young people, gig workers, small business owners, and the self-employed.
“This is the most important issue in America, because if you and your loved ones don’t have your health care, everything else goes by the board,” said U.S. Senator Ron Wyden. “This is not an abstract issue. A 500% increase in a premium means that you’re not in a position to pay rent, you’re not in a position to buy groceries, you’re not in a position to take care of electricity. And we’re seeing this all over the country.”
“If Congressional Republicans allow [the ACA tax credits] to expire, 190,000 Marylanders will see their costs skyrocket literally overnight, and in my district, District 23, that’s nearly 12,000 of my constituents who could lose affordable coverage,” said Maryland State Delegate Adrian Boafo. “Without those credits, we’re going to be forced into heartbreaking decisions. Do folks pay for their mortgage, or do they pay for the insulin? Do they put gas in the tank, or do they see the doctor?”
“President Trump’s and the Republicans’ health care agenda has been clear from the start. It is to make it as hard as possible for working Americans to get health care. It’s that simple,” said Jessica Schubel, former Special Assistant to President Biden for Health Care. “Folks are starting to see it now that window shopping has already started. 22 million people who buy their own coverage and get the tax credits are going to see their premiums skyrocket over $1,000 a year.”
BACKGROUND
Trump and Republicans rammed a deeply unpopular, unaffordable tax break for the wealthiest people in the country through Congress, and they’re paying for it by taking away critical tax credits that make health care affordable for tens of millions of working families. This is a health care crisis created by Republicans and rather than fix it, they are keeping the government shut down.
- TAKING AWAY CRITICAL TAX CREDITS & RAISING COSTS ON AMERICAN FAMILIES: Without these tax credits, health care costs will more than double for over 20 million Americans
- TENS OF MILLIONS FACING HIGHER HEALTH CARE COSTS: In a matter of weeks, more than 24 million Americans who buy insurance on their own will see their premiums skyrocket. If Republicans wait until the very last minute to extend the tax credits, underlying premiums will be even higher because of the delay.
- MORE AMERICANS UNINSURED EVERY DAY: Nearly 5 million people will have their health care ripped away and become uninsured due to Republicans ending premium tax credits – and there is no time to waste. If Republicans wait until the very last minute to extend the tax credits, an additional 1.5 million Americans will lose life-saving coverage as a result of the delay.
- HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF JOBS KILLED: An estimated 286,000 jobs nationwide will be lost due to lower economic output as a result of Republicans ending premium tax credits.
- OREGONIANS WHO BUY HEALTH INSURANCE ON THEIR OWN WILL PAY HUNDREDS MORE FOR HEALTH CARE: There are nearly 140,000 Oregonians who buy health insurance on their own through the state’s ACA marketplace and will be forced to pay $772 more each year on average for their health insurance — a 57 percent increase from last year.
- MARYLANDERS WHO BUY HEALTH INSURANCE ON THEIR OWN WILL PAY HUNDREDS MORE FOR HEALTH CARE: There are over 180,000 Marylanders who buy health insurance on their own through the state’s ACA marketplace and will be forced to pay $405 more each year on average for their health insurance — a 154 percent increase from last year.
TRUMP REFUSES TO SOLVE HIS HEALTH CARE CRISIS, CHOOSING A GOP GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN INSTEAD
- TRUMP’S HEALTH CARE CRISIS OF HIS OWN MAKING: Trump and Republicans have created a health care crisis that is ripping coverage away from millions of Americans, and raising costs for millions more, and they’ve decided to shut the government down rather than do something about it.
- TRUMP’S BIG UGLY BILL SLASHES $1 TRILLION FROM HEALTH CARE WHILE REPUBLICANS CHOOSE SHUTDOWN OVER FIXING CRISIS: Trump’s health care crisis has stripped coverage from 15 million Americans, driven up costs for millions more, and forced hundreds of hospitals to close – all to pay for billionaire tax breaks.
###