“Sometimes I Don’t Even Take My Medicine,” said 48-Year-Old Priscilla From Florida. [Fortune]
Across the nation, millions of Americans are being forced to choose between keeping a roof over their heads, putting food on the table, or paying skyrocketing health care premiums. This madness is a direct result of Donald Trump and congressional Republicans’ reckless health care agenda. They ripped away the tax credits that over 22 million Americans relied on to see a doctor when they’re sick in order to bankroll tax breaks for billionaires and big corporations. As a result, premiums surged from hundreds to thousands per month, more than doubling on average, forcing millions to make gut-wrenching decisions about their futures. Floridians like Priscilla from Orlando “had to choose between properly managing her Type 2 diabetes and affording other necessities, like gas in her car.” Arizonans like Eric from Scottsdale were dealt what amounts to a “second mortgage” after his premiums spiked from $6,200 annually to more than $26,600.
At the ballot box in November, voters won’t forget that Republicans sold them out and threw their lives into financial turmoil — all to pad the pockets of billionaires and big corporations. As this week marks the 16th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, Protect Our Care released new ads putting 14 vulnerable congressional Republicans’ feet to the fire for facilitating this affordability crisis, alongside a new report detailing how Republicans’ assault on health care has made coverage unaffordable for millions of working families.
Recent National Coverage
NPR: When Health Insurance Costs $2,500 per Month, Families Make Tough Choices
KFF Health News: Many ACA Customers Are Paying Higher Premiums. Most Blame Trump and Republicans, Poll Finds
HuffPost: Millions More Americans Uninsured After Lapse Of Premium Subsidies
Fortune: ‘Sometimes I Don’t Even Take My Medicine’: Americans Are Choosing Between Insulin and Buying Gas Following Trump’s ACA Cuts
Talking Points Memo: 5 Points on the Impact of Congress Letting ACA Subsidies Expire
MS Now: Opinion: We Work In an ICU — And See Firsthand How Trump’s Health Care Cuts Are Endangering Americans’ Lives
Wall Street Journal: Millions of Americans Are Going Uninsured Following Expiration of ACA Subsidies
Common Dreams: Millions of Americans Joining the Ranks of the Uninsured Thanks to Trump-GOP Cuts in 2025
Investopedia: As ACA Health Premiums Skyrocket, More People Downgrade or Drop Insurance
Arizona
Copper Courier: Arizona Small Business Owner: ‘The ACA Has Saved My Life’
Human Impact Series: “It’s a Second Mortgage.” A Retired Arizona Teacher Confronts the Increasing Cost of Health Care.
Florida
SSBCrack News: Health Care Costs Soar for ACA Enrollees, Forcing Tough Choices on Essentials
Illinois
WVIK, Wuad Cities NPR: Illinois and Iowa Citizen Groups, Providers Protest Expiration of Health Care Subsidies
Iowa
Human Impact Series: One Iowa Farmer and His Expiring Health Subsidies
Globe Gazette: Health Care Affordability Takes Center Stage in Iowa
Minnesota
GlobeNewswire: Higher ACA Premiums Push More Marketplace Consumers Toward Bronze Health Plans
Missouri
KBIA: Missouri ACA Enrollment Drops Nearly 10% as Subsidies Expire
North Carolina
Cardinal & Pine: The Affordable Care Act Turns 16, but the Fight for Affordable Health Care Is Far From Over in NC
NC Newsline: Republican Health Care Cuts Leave NC Women Little to Celebrate This Month
Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Independent: Rep. Scott Perry Faces Mounting Criticism Over Health Care Cuts
Keystone Newsroom: ‘I Would Be Dead Without It’: What the ACA Still Means 16 Years Later
Virginia
13NewsNow: 16 Years of the ACA: Virginians Face Rising Health Costs, Coverage Loss
Wisconsin
Spectrum News 1: ‘A Very Dark Cloud’: Wisconsin Mom Sees ACA Premium More Than Double