Senator Murray Joins WA State Insurance Commissioner, WA Small Business Owner Who Relies on ACA Tax Credits to Drive Home Why Democrats are Fighting to Prevent Health Care[...]

NEW FROM KFF: ACA Marketplace Premium Payments Would More than Double on Average Next Year if Republicans Refuse to Join Democrats to Save Enhanced Premium Tax Credits

ICYMI: Senator Murray Comments After Republicans Push Country Into Shutdown

***WATCH full press conference HERE; DOWNLOAD HERE***

Washington, D.C. - Today,U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, held a virtual press conference on how Democrats are fighting to save critical Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits that middle-class families in Washington state and across the country rely on to be able to afford health insurance. Joining Senator Murray for the press conference were Washington State Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer and Maya Tussing, a small business owner in Washington state who relies on ACA tax credits to afford health care.

At the press conference, Senator Murray called out Republicans for refusing to come to the table to negotiate a deal with Democrats to keep the government open and protect Americans' health care, and reiterated that she stands ready to negotiate a bipartisan funding bill to reopen the government and prevent Americans' health care costs from skyrocketing. Senator Murray has been speaking out nonstop about the urgent need to save health care and keep the government open and calling on Republicans to come to the negotiating table to work out a bipartisan deal-which they have so far refused to do. As the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Murray leads legislation supported by the Democratic caucus that would reopen the government, address the health care crisis, and protect Congress' power of the purse from Donald Trump and Russ Vought's nonstop, lawless efforts to block funding from reaching communities across the country.

For months, Republicans have refused to extend the ACA enhanced premium tax credits, and if they are left to expire, 22 million Americans across the country-including more than 216,000 people in Washington state-will see their health care costs and premiums skyrocket. Premiums will more than double for Americans who buy health care through the ACA exchanges, and these higher costs will push 4.2 million people off their health coverage over the next decade-including an estimated 80,000 people in Washington state. In Washington state, health insurers have been approved for an average rate hike of 21 percent this year in large part due to the Republican failure to extend the ACA enhanced premium tax credits. A fact sheet on what the expiration of the ACA tax credits would mean for people in Washington state is HERE.

"I don't know why Republicans think they can just sweep the health care crisis they created under the rug. But we are here to say: we are forcing this issue. We are going to talk about health care whether Republicans want to or not," said Senator Murray. "The American people are demanding action, and they are demanding it now. Why? Because the new, higher health care rates-those are being set right now. Notifications to families? Those are in the mail now. Open enrollment is weeks away, and families are panicking. I have heard from one family in Washington state whose premiums could jump from $278 a month, to as much as $1,800 a month. There is a simple solution here-to simply save the ACA tax credits that 22 million people rely on to afford health care-including over 200,000 people in Washington state. Republicans have made clear they will quite literally shut down the government rather than address this problem."

Senator Murray played a critical role in passing the enhanced premium tax credits in the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021 and extending them in the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, and she has been fighting for months to make sure these important health care tax credits don't expire, including cosponsoring multiple pieces of legislation-the Health Care Affordability Act and the Protecting Health Care and Lowering Costs Act-that would make them permanent.

"Last year, more than 216,000 people in the individual market qualified for enhanced premium tax credits. Tax credits are crucial to helping people afford and keep coverage," said Washington State Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer. "Our Exchange predicts that 80,000 people to drop coverage, if the enhanced premium tax credits are not extended. If fewer people are enrolled because of costs, older and sicker people will remain, driving up costs for everyone. This, along with growing uncertainty at the federal level does not bode well for next year. As your insurance commissioner, I can tell you what insurers do NOT like and that's uncertainty. Uncertainty does NOT create a stable, vibrant, competitive market. It creates chaos and high costs for consumers."

"Six years ago, I launched a small business with a partner that helps nonprofits manage their financial resources. We're lean, we're mission driven, and we're growing, and most importantly, we are passionate about what we do. However, we're not large enough to provide me and my family with employer sponsored health insurance, and that's why the ACA was a lifeline for me, because it allowed us to focus on building our business without my agonizing over how to secure health insurance. And at the time, it seemed like a stroke of luck, and an example of the US' brilliant policy innovation. And it sounds a bit sappy, but it was the first time I really felt fortunate to be an American because of the incredible dynamism in this country and the fact that everyone here is so supportive of small business owners, and it seems so easy to launch a business. But while our take home pay grew steadily, our health care premium spiked. And last year they increased fivefold, and with the expiration of tax credits, they'll double, making it tenfold-a tenfold increase in two years. And our health care costs could cost more than our home life and auto insurance combined," said Maya Tussing, a small business owner in Washington state who relies on ACA tax credits to afford health care. "Running a small business requires reliable expense forecasting, and that means that if these credits expire, many entrepreneurs will face sudden premium spikes that they couldn't have anticipated. And that kind of unpredictability can be devastating, especially when it's driven by policy decisions that are totally beyond our control… Families like mine are bracing for higher premiums, deductibles and co pays, and then we'll be forced to ask ourselves, how sick do I have to be before I can justify paying for treatment? And that's not how health care should work in the wealthiest country in the world. And this is the moment for Congress to act."

Senator Murray's remarks, as delivered on today's press call, are below:

"Thank you all for joining me today.

"We are here to put a spotlight on an issue Republicans are trying as hard as they possibly can to ignore-the health care crisis they have created, which is forcing people to lose their health insurance, hospitals to close their doors, and will soon mean millions of Americans will pay more than double what they pay now for their health care premiums if Congress doesn't act.

"Seriously, Republicans have decided they would rather shut down the government than talk to Democrats about preventing premiums from exploding next year.

"One big issue with that Republican plan? Ignoring-or lying about-this problem won't make it go away. Families with health care at stake know this all too well.

"Because when you go online to buy health insurance and find your monthly payment has more than doubled-you are going to notice it. When your health care is suddenly way out of budget for your family, that's not something you can ignore. In fact, it's something that will break the bank for many people, and force millions to simply drop their coverage altogether.

"I don't know why Republicans think they can just sweep the health care crisis they created under the rug. But we are here to say: we are forcing this issue. We are going to talk about health care whether Republicans want to or not.

"And it's clear as day, they do not. Because they know their position is unpopular-a top House Republican recently said as much in private-and urged colleagues 'don't talk about it.'

"So Democrats are going to force Republicans to come to the table to negotiate with us. The American people are demanding action, and they are demanding it now.

"Why? Because the new, higher health care rates-those are being set right now. Notifications to families? Those are in the mail now. Open enrollment is weeks away, and families are panicking.

"I have heard from one family in Washington state whose premiums could jump from $278 a month, to as much as $1,800 a month.

"There is a simple solution here-to simply save the ACA tax credits that 22 million people rely on to afford health care-including over 200,000 people in Washington state.

"Republicans have made clear they will quite literally shut down the government rather than address this problem.

"What do they plan on telling farmers-a quarter of whom are enrolled in the health care exchanges, who will see their costs increase exponentially? What do they plan to tell small business owners, and workers, and people who are self-employed-half of whom get their coverage through the ACA exchanges?

"Because saying 'tough luck' is not going to cut it. And neither is 'we'll fix it later' for that matter. Later is too late! Republicans are saying they will just sit on their hands until those higher rates are locked in for the next year, and that is unacceptable.

"We have to act now. Families know it. Patients know it. Small business owners know it.

"And that's why Democrats are insisting on acting now. We are not going to let Republicans keep sabotaging Americans' health care. Democrats are fighting to reverse the cuts, lower costs, and protect health care for the people we represent back home.

"People who are speaking out about just how devastating it will be if Republicans refuse to save these critical health care tax credits. I'm joined by some of them today.

"Republicans may shut down the government, but they will not shut down this debate.

"And they will not shut out the voices of people across the country who want us to act before their health care costs skyrocket, before their insurance is out of reach, before it is too late."

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