This Month, Protect Our Care Released a New Report on Falling ACA Enrollment and Was Joined by Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), Reps. Aguilar (D-CA-33), Chu (D-CA-28), Boyle (D-PA-02), VA State Sen. Favola, PA State Rep. White, AZ State Rep. Stahl Hamilton, VA Delegate Willett, and Advocates
After the end of open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the enraging reality facing families across the country has been crystal clear. Millions logged on to compare plans — many were stunned to find that the coverage they had last year is now hundreds or even thousands more. This is the direct fallout of Republicans ripping away tax credits that kept insurance affordable to bankroll tax breaks for billionaires and big corporations. Protect Our Care’s new open enrollment report details how 22 million Americans are paying more for the same plans, facing higher deductibles, or being priced out of coverage altogether. This month, Protect Our Care spotlighted the real-world consequences of the GOP-driven premium hikes. Parents, seniors, and small business owners shared harrowing stories of their premiums skyrocketing, deductibles soaring, and being forced to choose between lifesaving coverage, groceries, or rent. Public outcry has been overwhelmingly consistent: Americans want affordable coverage. And the stakes for the GOP could not be clearer. If Republicans continue these price hikes, as hard-working families are demanding accountability and real solutions to bring costs down, they’ll face the wrath of voters at the ballot box in November.
Arizona
February 19 – Open Enrollment Report Release Event with Maricopa County Supervisor Steve Gallardo and Health Care Advocates: Maricopa County Supervisor Steve Gallardo and health care advocates Robert Hess III and Chard Durns joined Protect Our Care Arizona to discuss a new report from Protect Our Care highlighting how President Trump and the GOP’s decision to take away the Affordable Care Act tax credits have forced 65,881 Arizonans to forgo their health care coverage. “Many of our families, not only in District 5 but across our state, are facing tremendous challenges in these hard economic times right now,” said County Supervisor Gallardo. “Many of them face the economic and social challenges of just trying to get by. Unfortunately, the plan by President Trump and many of the Republicans in Congress have made it even more difficult when it comes to health care. Health care which is so important as we all know, for not only themselves as adults, but particularly their kids.” You can watch the full event here, and view the post-event release here.
- Arizona Mirror: Arizona ACA Enrollment Plummets by 66,000 as Premium Tax Credits Expire
Wednesday, February 25 – State of the Union Reaction Event with State Representative Stephanie Stahl Hamilton and Arizona Health Advocates: Arizona Representative Stephanie Stahl Hamilton and advocates Steve Gomez, Dr. Larry DeLuca, and Pima County Supervisor Dr. Matt Heinz joined Protect Our Care Arizona after Tuesday’s State of the Union Address to hold Donald Trump, his administration, and Republicans in Congress accountable for their war on American health care. As Trump falsely claims action on affordability, working Arizonans are sinking under the weight of his attacks on health care. Trump and Republicans cut over $1 trillion from Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) — the largest health care cuts in history — ripping coverage away from 15 million Americans and spiking costs for millions more. With premiums soaring, hospitals shutting down, and public health in total crisis, Trump hoped to distract the American people with empty promises to lower drug costs. “Last night we heard a lot of promises about affordability and about strengthening America,” said Arizona State Representative Stephanie Stahl Hamilton. “But here in Arizona, we measure success by what families experience at their kitchen tables. Right now too many Arizonans are facing a health care reality that looks nothing like the rhetoric. Premiums are rising, coverage is slipping out of reach, and families are being forced to make impossible choices between paying for health insurance and paying for groceries, rent or childcare.” You can watch the full event here, and read the post-event release here.
California
Tuesday, February 24 – Open Enrollment Prebuttal Event with Representatives Pete Aguilar and Judy Chu: US Representatives Pete Aguilar (CA-33) and Judy Chu (CA-28) joined Protect Our Care CA before the State of the Union Address to hold Donald Trump, his administration, and Republicans in Congress accountable for their war on American health care. Rep. Chu announced plans to boycott the State of the Union over Trump’s long history of health care lies and belittling his political opponents. “I will be boycotting the State of the Union,” said Rep. Judy Chu. “I’ve attended all previous ones regardless of whether they were Democrat or Republican, but when I thought about what President Trump did last year: insulting people, exaggerating his own greatness, and most of all lying about what he was going to do, I said I cannot honor what he says. Here’s the truth: families across America are being crushed by rising health care costs. That’s not an accident, it’s the direct result of decisions made by Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress.” You can watch the full event here, and read the post-event release here.
Georgia
Wednesday, February 18 – Open Enrollment Report/Accountability Event with State Representative Lisa Campbell and Health Care Advocates: State Representative Lisa Campbell joined Protect Our Care Georgia to discuss a new report from Protect Our Care highlighting how President Trump and the GOP’s decision to take away the Affordable Care Act tax credits have forced 209,598 Georgians to forgo their health care coverage. This number is expected to grow as Georgians on the ACA marketplace faced an impossible choice between keeping their health care or covering life’s necessities, downgrading their plans and paying more out of pocket, or dropping their coverage altogether. “As a state legislator, I hear from constituents who are worried about keeping their coverage. But I also hear from local leaders who are worried about keeping their hospitals open. They understand that health care access is tied directly to economic stability and community survival,” said State Representative Lisa Campbell. “The path forward is clear. We need to restore the tax credits that made coverage affordable, protect Medicaid, and stop undermining the health care infrastructure that rural Georgia depends on. Our communities should not be collateral damage in a political fight. They deserve stability, access, and leadership that recognizes what is truly at stake.” You can watch the event here, and view the post-event release here.
Wednesday, February 25 – State of the Union Rebuttal Event with Impacted Georgians: Impacted Georgians joined Protect Our Care Georgia after Tuesday’s State of the Union Address to hold Donald Trump, his administration, and Republicans in Congress accountable for their war on American health care. According to a new report from Protect Our Care, as Trump falsely claims action on affordability, working Georgians are sinking under the weight of his attacks on health care. Trump and Republicans cut over $1 trillion from Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) — the largest health care cuts in history — ripping coverage away from 15 million Americans and spiking costs for millions more. “Last night, we heard a lot of talk during the State of the Union about lowering costs and helping working families. But that is not what I am experiencing,” said Cindy Pursley from Newnan. “For years, the ACA tax credits helped make my coverage manageable. But now those tax credits are gone. As a result, my monthly premium has jumped by 150 percent. That is a significant increase. While my husband and I can absorb that cost, it means we are spending more on health insurance and less on everything else. That is money we are not putting back into our local economy. It is money not being spent at small businesses in our community, not being saved, not being invested in other priorities.” You can watch the event here, and view the post-event release here.
Iowa
Tuesday, February 17 – Rural Health Care Clinic Closure Event with Iowa Advocates, Providers and Storytellers: Protect Our Care Iowa joined around 80 Iowans in Ottumwa to hear from community members, health care providers and others impacted by the closure of MercyOne’s Ottumwa clinic and discuss the state of health care in Wapello County and rural Iowa. Representative Zach Nunn voted for the Republican Tax Law that included disastrous cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, and put rural hospitals at risk of closing. Congressman Nunn recently said that he wants to eliminate the ACA entirely, which would put further strain on hospitals’ budgets and cost Iowans even more, even though he recently acknowledged hospitals are a critical component to strong communities. “All of Iowa’s congressional delegation voted for the Republican Tax Law, which is a disaster,” said Peter, a retired physician. “It will cause harm to Iowans, it has caused the final financial blow to our MercyOne clinic along with layoffs in Des Moines. The parent organization is going to lose $1.5 billion in the next few years, so they are making cuts. That’s not good health care, that’s not good policy, it’s not even good politics. We need to hold our elected leaders accountable for these actions.” You can read the post-event release here.
Friday, February 26 – ‘Broken Promises, Broken Hearts’: Constituents Called on GOP Rep. Miller-Meeks to Put Working People Over Billionaires and Big Corporations: Yesterday, alongside Protect Our Care Iowa, constituents of Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01) delivered messages to her Davenport office, calling out her support for policies that hurt them. “I’m furious that Mariannette Miller-Meeks voted for the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’, slashing healthcare access for millions of Americans, including her own constituents. A former physician should know better and do better, and frankly, we deserve better than her,” wrote one constituent. “How does your Hippocratic Oath relate to your votes? Because, you seem to violate it anytime you vote on anything related to health care,” wrote David, another constituent. You can read the post-event release here.
Tuesday, February 17 – Rural Health Care Clinic Closure Event with Iowa Advocates, Providers and Storytellers: Protect Our Care Iowa joined around 80 Iowans in Ottumwa to hear from community members, health care providers and others impacted by the closure of MercyOne’s Ottumwa clinic and discuss the state of health care in Wapello County and rural Iowa. Representative Zach Nunn voted for the Republican Tax Law that included disastrous cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, and put rural hospitals at risk of closing. Congressman Nunn recently said that he wants to eliminate the ACA entirely, which would put further strain on hospitals’ budgets and cost Iowans even more, even though he recently acknowledged hospitals are a critical component to strong communities. “All of Iowa’s congressional delegation voted for the Republican Tax Law, which is a disaster,” said Peter, a retired physician. “It will cause harm to Iowans, it has caused the final financial blow to our MercyOne clinic along with layoffs in Des Moines. The parent organization is going to lose $1.5 billion in the next few years, so they are making cuts. That’s not good health care, that’s not good policy, it’s not even good politics. We need to hold our elected leaders accountable for these actions.” You can read the post-event release here.
Friday, February 26 – ‘Broken Promises, Broken Hearts’: Constituents Called on GOP Rep. Miller-Meeks to Put Working People Over Billionaires and Big Corporations: Yesterday, alongside Protect Our Care Iowa, constituents of Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01) delivered messages to her Davenport office, calling out her support for policies that hurt them. “I’m furious that Mariannette Miller-Meeks voted for the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’, slashing healthcare access for millions of Americans, including her own constituents. A former physician should know better and do better, and frankly, we deserve better than her,” wrote one constituent. “How does your Hippocratic Oath relate to your votes? Because, you seem to violate it anytime you vote on anything related to health care,” wrote David, another constituent. You can read the post-event release here.
Ohio
Thursday, February 12 – Open Enrollment Report Release Event with Ohio Representative Dr. Anita Somani and Health Care Advocates: State Representative Dr. Anita Somani, Dr. Christopher Brown, and retired Lake County resident John Francis joined Protect Our Care Ohio to discuss a new report from Protect Our Care highlighting how President Trump and the GOP’s decision to take away the Affordable Care Act tax credits have forced 113,827 to forgo their health care coverage. “This is a policy choice, to keep people unhealthy, to keep people sick, and to force people into medical debt or bankruptcy,” said Ohio Representative Dr. Anita Somani. “We need to look at government helping people, rather than hurting them.” You can watch the event here.
- Gongwer: Report Finds Ohio Ranks Fourth in ACA Enrollment Decrease (Full Text Viewable Here)
- Mahoning Matters: Advocacy Group Says More Than 113,000 Ohioans Are Now Going Without Affordable Care Act Coverage
- Capital Journal: Advocacy Group Says More Than 113,000 Ohioans Are Now Going Without Affordable Care Act Coverage.
Tuesday, February 24 – State of the Union Prebuttal Event with Ohio Representative Erika White and Health Care Advocates: Leaders and health care advocates from across Ohio joined Protect Our Care Ohio leading up to Tuesday’s State of the Union Address to hold Donald Trump, his administration, and Republicans in Congress accountable for their war on American health care. As Trump falsely claims action on affordability, working Ohioans are sinking under the weight of his attacks on health care. “Across the country, millions of Americans are losing health care coverage, and here in Ohio, I’m seeing exactly why that’s happening,” said State Representative Erika White. “The ACA and Medicaid were designed to work together, and when one is weakened through cuts or reduced enrollment working people fall through the cracks. In my district, I hear from self-employed workers, child care providers, home health care aids, restaurant owners, retail workers who are doing everything – they work, they pay taxes, they contribute. But when ACA tax credits are weakened, they are feeling the instability. Health care stability is economic stability.” You can watch the event here, and view the post-event release here.
Pennsylvania
Wednesday, February 25 – State of the Union Rebuttal Event with Congressman Brendan Boyle and Health Care Advocates: U.S. Representative Brendan F. Boyle, ranking member of the House Budget Committee, joined Protect Our Care Pennsylvania, the Committee to Protect Health Care, and others after Tuesday’s State of the Union Address to hold Donald Trump, his administration, and Republicans in Congress accountable for their war on American health care. “What’s remarkable is that for all of the hours he spoke, he didn’t say anything about the single most important issue I believe facing the American people – the enormous health care cuts that were enacted by President Trump,” said Congressman Brendan F. Boyle. “Donald Trump, and Republicans in Congress, chose to give tax cuts to the super wealthy — and to pay for it by the largest cuts to health care in American history.” You can watch the event here, and view the post-event release here.
Virginia
Friday, February 6 – Health Care Roundtable with U.S. Senator Mark Warner and Health Care Advocates: Protect Our Care Virginia joined Senator Mark Warner for a roundtable at Virginia Health Catalyst with health care providers and stakeholders from across the region. Sen. Warner, alongside advocates and leadership from local hospitals and clinics, discussed the future of health care affordability following the lapse of ACA expanded premium tax credits, which raised costs for Virginians’ health insurance by thousands of dollars annually, and the planned cuts at Medicaid, which have already forced closures of rural clinics across Virginia.
Wednesday, February 25 – Open Enrollment and State Budget Event with Virginia’s State Legislative Health Committees’ Chairmembers Senator Barbara Favola and Delegate Rodney Willett, and Health Care Advocates: The chairs of Virginia’s state legislative Health Committees joined Protect Our Care for a press conference at the General Assembly Building to discuss investments in the state budget that will help Virginians keep their health care by lowering premium costs for Affordable Care Act plans purchased through the Virginia Health Benefit Exchange. “Those decisions in Washington have real consequences here at home,” said Chairman Willett. “When federal support is pulled back, working Virginians are left to figure out how to pay higher premiums, afford groceries, and keep coverage for their families. Our responsibility is to step up. We are proposing a $79.1 million investment to establish a state-based premium assistance program through the Virginia Health Benefit Exchange for plan year 2027. This program is focused on working Virginians earning between 138 and 200 percent of the federal poverty level – people who make too much to qualify for full Medicaid, but who are still stretched thin every month trying to afford Marketplace coverage.” You can watch the event here, and view the post-event release here.
- WVTF: Virginia Legislators Consider State Funds to Backfill Trump Healthcare Cuts
- CBS6: (Richmond) Virginia ACA Enrollment Drops by More Than 44,000 as Federal Tax Credits Expire
- WRIC (Richmond): Around 25,000 Virginians have lost their ACA health insurance coverage since January
Wisconsin
Thursday, February 19 – The Cap Times Op-Ed by Dr. Kristin Lyerly on the GOP War on Health Care: Protect Our Care Wisconsin placed an opinion piece by Dr. Kristin Lyerly outlining the damage being caused by Donald Trump and Republicans’ war on health care. In the piece, Dr. Lyerly highlights expired ACA tax credits, RFK Jr.’s anti-vaccine conspiracy theories, and the $1 trillion cut from Medicaid as just a few of the Trump administration’s moves to gut Americans’ access to health care. Dr. Lyerly writes, “They ripped away ACA tax credits from nearly 22 million Americans, doubling, tripling, even quadrupling health insurance premiums for families already crushed by inflation. They put anti-vaccine conspiracy theorists like RFK Jr. in charge of our nation’s health, and now we’re seeing measles outbreaks. Measles! A disease we had essentially eliminated. We’ve had cases right here in Wisconsin. Two children in Texas are dead. They slashed over $1 trillion from Medicaid, gutting the health care lifeline for rural communities and small towns that were already hanging on by a thread. And for what? To give tax breaks to billionaires and corporations.” You can read the full op-ed here.