Durbin Meets With Illinois Department Of Insurance Director To Discuss Skyrocketing Aca Premiums As Republicans Fail To Work With Democrats To Act

Durbin Meets With Illinois Department Of Insurance Director To Discuss Skyrocketing Aca Premiums As Republicans Fail To Work With Democrats To Act

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) met virtually with the Illinois Department of Insurance Director, Ann Gillespie, to discuss the skyrocketing premium increase for Affordable Care Act (ACA) health plans. Instead of meeting with Democrats to address this health care crisis, Republicans have shut down the federal government. If these enhanced premium tax credits are allowed to expire at the end of the year, more than four million Americans are expected to lose their health care coverage, including more than 160,000 people in Illinois.

"This week, we found out that Illinois residents can expect to see a nearly 80 percent average cost increase for their Affordable Care Act health plans next year," said Durbin. "That's unacceptable to the people of Illinois who are already paying higher grocery prices, higher electricity prices, and higher home prices. During today's call, we discussed the skyrocketing increase in payments and the devastating impacts it will have for my constituents if Republicans do not come to the table and meet with Democrats to address this crisis."

An Illinois family who pays an average of $260 a month for their ACA health coverage will pay $464 a month next year-an extra $204 a month or $2,500 a year. Families in rural Illinois will face the steepest premium increases, with monthly premium costs expected to triple in price in certain rural counties. Increases of this magnitude will cause many people to lose their health insurance next year-including between 160,000 to 275,000 Illinoisans.

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