Loss of ACA subsidies will leave tens of thousands in Wisconsin without insurance
KFF found that 70% of those on the ACA marketplace could not afford health insurance if their premiums doubled without seriously disrupting their household finances. If these credits are not renewed, families are going to be forced to choose between healthcare and putting food on the table
By Sen. Kristin Dassler-Alfheim
As I write this, we are on week four of the federal government shutdown with no end in sight. Both sides have dug in their heels, leaving little room for negotiation. What’s at stake? Keeping health insurance costs affordable for everyone.
Here are the facts: Congressional Democrats want to see the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits renewed, and Republicans don’t. Another fact: a majority of Americans across the political spectrum agree with Democrats. According to a poll conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), a non-profit, non-partisan research organization, 78% of Americans think that the credits should be renewed, including 59% of Republicans and 57% of MAGA supporters who were surveyed.
The cost of healthcare for everyone on the ACA marketplace was already going to go up. Prior to the shutdown, marketplace insurers in Wisconsin were projecting a rate hike of over 30%. The expiration of the credits on top of that means that consumers who previously relied on them will see a massive spike in their annual premium payments. That translates to an increase of thousands of dollars a year for middle-class households that are already struggling with the impacts of the Trump Administration’s tariffs and inflation on the cost of living.
KFF found that 70% of those on the ACA marketplace could not afford health insurance if their premiums doubled without seriously disrupting their household finances. If these credits are not renewed, families are going to be forced to choose between healthcare and putting food on the table. Many will lose coverage altogether, putting an additional strain on the marketplace and driving up costs even more for those who are still on it. This is not a partisan issue.
This is the health and wellbeing of the farmers who put food on our tables, the retirees not quite eligible for Medicare yet, and the small business owners that make our communities thrive. The people have spoken; they want these credits renewed. It’s time for Congress to get it done.
Kristin Dassler-Alfheim is a Democratic State Senator from Appleton
