Des Moines, Iowa — Republican and Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill remained at a standstill Thursday over how to reopen the government. Democrats claim they won’t budge until health insurance subsidies due to expire at the end of 2025 are extended, while Republicans are calling on Democrats to reopen the government, and then they will discuss the issue.
For Lori Hunt of Des Moines, Iowa, the debate isn’t just numbers; it’s about her ability to stay healthy and alive.
Hunt says she “couldn’t afford” health insurance without the subsidies she receives through the Affordable Care Act.
“I’d have to cancel my insurance,” Hunt told CBS News, joking that her insurance would consist of “thoughts and prayers.”
“That’s pretty much it, that’s all I have,” she adds.
Hunt survived breast cancer three years ago and was laid off from her job earlier this year. Without the federal help, she says her ACA premium would jump to about $700 per month.
“It would be more than my mortgage payment,” Hunt said.
The tax credits were authorized under the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021. The number of people who enrolled in ACA marketplace health insurance plans doubled from 11 million in 2020 to more than 24 million in 2025, largely because of those subsidies, according to KFF Health News.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 3.8 million Americans won’t be able to afford health insurance without the tax credits by 2035, including two million by next year. Without the credit, the average ACA premium would double by about 114%, KFF Health News says.
“When people lose health insurance, it can mean significant financial debt,” said Sabrina Corlette, director for the Center for Health Insurance Reform at Georgetown University. “…It also means that people are waiting to the last minute to get necessary care, often ending up in our emergency rooms.”
Corlette also says insurance companies will likely raise prices to cover the costs for the uninsured.
“The people affected will come from red states, they’ll come from blue states,” Corlette said. “…The folks who will be hit the hardest are in about 10 red states that have not expanded the Medicaid program.”
Hunt says she has reached out to lawmakers for help and hopes that they can work together.
“Why can’t we just figure this out?” Hunt asks.
Corlette emphasized the ACA marketplaces are a safety net as more Americans move to gig work. Health care advocacy groups told CBS News those under the ACA will probably be notified in the next few weeks whether their premium will increase.
“It’s for entrepreneurs, it’s for freelancers,” she said. “It’s for gig economy workers who are driving Ubers, or are doing Taskrabbit. So these are folks who are contributing to our economy.”