As the nation endures a GOP-driven government shutdown, health care premiums are skyrocketing, and the health care system is in crisis. By ending ACA tax credits, Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress are jacking up health care costs for over 20 million Americans and stripping care from nearly 5 million to dole out tax breaks for billionaires and big corporations. They are so intent on taking away health care from working families that they’re holding the government hostage.
As premiums spiral out of control, hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes are beginning to shutter, and small businesses don’t know how to keep their employees covered. The longer Republicans continue twiddling their thumbs and playing political games, the more Americans will lose critical, life-saving coverage.
Protect Our Care’s Premium Disaster Watch exposes how the Trump-GOP bill is driving up health care premiums for millions of families nationwide, putting affordable coverage further out of reach. Read Protect Our Care’s recent fact sheet to learn more about all that Donald Trump and Republicans are doing to increase working people’s health care costs here.
National Coverage
New York Times: At Stake in the Shutdown Fight: Obamacare Prices That Could Rise by Thousands of Dollars
Center for American Progress: Health Insurance Premium Costs Will More Than Double for Millions of Americans Unless Congress Acts
The New Republic: The Shutdown Is Bad. The End of the Obamacare Subsidies Is Worse.
Forbes: Government Shutdown Imperils Obamacare Tax Credits for 22 Million
KFF: ACA Marketplace Premium Payments Would More Than Double on Average Next Year if Enhanced Premium Tax Credits Expire
Groundwork Collaborative: Another Trump Price Hike for Working Class Americans as Health Insurance Premiums Set to Spike Up to 600% This Fall
CNBC: Affordable Care Act Premiums Will Rise 114% if Enhanced Subsidies Expire, Health Policy Researcher Finds
PBS: Why Health Care Tax Credits Are a Sticking Point in Shutdown Negotiations
CBS News: Why ACA Tax Credits for 22 Million Americans Are at the Center of the Government Shutdown Drama
AHIP: Middle-Income Families Can’t Afford to Lose the Health Care Tax Credits
National Women’s Law Center: The Affordable Care Act Subsidies Behind the Potential Government Shutdown — And What This Means for Women
University of Pennsylvania: The Price of Obamacare Subsidies Loss: Millions Uninsured, Thousands at Greater Risk
Arizona
AZ Public Health Association: ACA Premiums Set to Increase in 2026 as Enhanced Marketplace Premium Tax Credits Expire
California
San Francisco Chronicle: Health Premiums Could Skyrocket for 1.7 Million Californians in Federal Shutdown Standoff
Los Angeles Times: The GOP Says the Obamacare Subsidies at the Center of the Shutdown Are Unimportant. Millions of Americans Would Disagree
Politico: California Braces for a Health Insurance Meltdown
Florida
WLRN: Healthcare Premiums in Florida Could Surge as Federal Tax Credits Face Expiration: Wasserman Schultz
Indiana
Daily Journal: Doctors, Advocates Brace for Potentially ‘Tragic’ Premium Increases
Kentucky
Kentucky Lantern: Price Spikes Set to Leave Thousands of Kentuckians Without Health Insurance, Advocates Say
The Topeka Capital-Journal: What Obamacare Tax Credit at Center of Government Shutdown Issue Means to Kansas
Minnesota
MPR News: Minnesota Health Insurance Premiums Will Rise Sharply in 2026
The Minnesota Star Tribune: ‘Alarming’ Rate Increases in Minnesota’s Individual Health Insurance Market
Kare11: Nearly One Million Minnesotans About to Shop for Health Care Will See Big Rate Increases
Montana
Daily Montanan: State Insurance Auditors, Including Montana’s, Urged Congress to Renew Health Insurance Subsidies
Nevada
Necada Current: Lee Warns of ‘Debilitating’ Health Insurance Premium Hikes if Trump Gets His Way
New Jersey
Insider NJ: New Jersey Citizen Action Calls for GOP to Reverse Government Shutdown, Work With Dems to Ensure Americans Have Access to Affordable Healthcare and Prescription Drugs
New Mexico
New Mexico Political Report: New Mexico Officials Sound Alarm on Potential Health Coverage Losses if Tax Credits Lapse
Santa Fe New Mexican: New Mexico Health Insurance Premiums Set to Spike in 2026 Due to Heavy 2024 Usage, Rising Costs
Source NM: Heinrich Stresses Impact Lost Health Insurance Tax Credits Could Have On New Mexico
Oregon
Jefferson Public Radio: Health Insurance Premiums to Rise for Thousands of Oregonians in 2026 Unless Congress Intervenes
Rhode Island
The Providence Journal: Decision to Let Tax Credit Lapse Means Huge Hikes in Health Insurance Premiums | Opinion
Tennessee
Tennessee Lookout: Report: An End to ACA Tax Credits to Increase Uncompensated Care Costs in Tenn. By Nearly One-Third
Texas
The Texas Tribune: Texas Could Bear the Brunt of Expiring ACA Tax Credits. Is the GOP Delegation Willing to Make a Deal?
Houston Chronicle: Houston Health Leaders Urge Congress to Extend ACA Tax Credits
Virginia
The Virginia Independent: Trump, GOP Congress Reject Democratic Plan to Avert Shutdown and 20% Health Premium Hikes
Washington
Roll Call: Health Insurance Marketplace Rate Hikes Top 20 Percent in Most States, Cantwell Says
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Examiner: Small Business Owners, Employees Worry About Higher Health Insurance Costs