ICYMI: In Phoenix, Kelly Hears from Families and Small Business Owners on Rising Health Care Costs and Affordability

In case you missed it, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly sat down with families, small business owners, and employers today to hear directly about how rising costs-especially health care costs-are affecting household budgets, coverage decisions, and the ability of local employers to hire and retain workers.

On January 1, enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits expired after Republicans blocked efforts to extend them, driving up premiums and out-of-pocket costs for Arizona families and small businesses. More than 300,000 Arizonans relied on these credits, and early data now shows roughly 70,000 fewer Arizonans enrolled in ACA coverage this year-underscoring how rising costs are pushing health care out of reach.

Last week, Kelly sent a letter to President Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., urging action to lower costs and protect access to affordable care.

During the discussion, Kelly heard from Rusty, a self-employed Tucson resident who buys coverage through the ACA Marketplace and has multiple pre-existing conditions. For the past three years, Rusty said he paid about $277 a month, but this year his premium jumped to $668 after the enhanced ACA tax credits expired. Rusty told Kelly, "I don't expect the government to solve all my problems, and I don't expect a free ride, but what I do need help with is for them to level the playing field for the average citizen. That's what the ACA did for me, and to see it go away is going to be catastrophic."

Gayle, a co-owner of an independent community bookstore in Tempe and Phoenix with about 85 employees, shared that while the bookstore offers health insurance and provides a $250 monthly premium subsidy, rising costs have made coverage out of reach for many of her workers. This year, only 38 of her 85 employees enrolled in the plan, as staff were forced to choose between basic necessities and health insurance. Gayle told Kelly, "If you work in a bookstore, you cannot afford $10,000 out of pocket."

Kelly also heard from Francisco, a Phoenix native who was diagnosed with epilepsy as a child and went years without treatment because his family could not afford coverage. Francisco shared that affordable health care allowed him to finally access consistent treatment and ultimately undergo brain surgery that changed his life. He told Kelly, "Access to affordable health care meant I could stay connected to doctors, get the treatment I needed, and eventually have brain surgery that made me seizure-free. For our community, health care isn't politics; it's dignity, stability, and the ability for our families to survive, contribute, and thrive without being punished for circumstances beyond our control."

Oscar, a small business owner who runs an independent auto body shop in the Valley, told Kelly that rising health care costs make it impossible for him to offer coverage and that he often pays out of pocket when employees need basic medical care. He said the inability to provide affordable health insurance is costing him skilled workers and limiting his ability to grow his business. "We lose good workers to bigger companies because they can afford benefits we can't. I want to take care of my guys, but health care costs make that nearly impossible."

Earlier in the day, Kelly met with local elected officials, community leaders, and stakeholders from across Arizona to hear about the challenges facing their communities and discuss how they can continue working together to deliver results for Arizonans. Kelly reaffirmed his commitment to fighting for Arizonans in Washington as families and small businesses face rising costs.