OF THE YEAR. NEWSCENTER 5 SHARMAN SACCHETTI JOINS US LIVE IN THE NEWSROOM. AND SHARMAN, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOW WONDERING IF THEY CAN EVEN AFFORD TO STAY INSURED, RIGHT? MASSACHUSETTS IS ALREADY SEEING SOME PEOPLE DECIDE TO DROP COVERAGE. AND TONIGHT, LOCAL LAWMAKERS ARE SAYING THE FAILURE TO REACH AGREEMENT IS DEVASTATING. CONCERNS GROWING ABOUT RISING HEALTH CARE COSTS WEEKS BEFORE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT SUBSIDIES EXPIRE. THE MOTION IS NOT AGREED TO THE SENATE REJECTING TWO HEALTH CARE BILLS GUARANTEEING MILLIONS WILL SEE PRICE HIKES IN JANUARY. SO THE AVERAGE INCREASE ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS, ACROSS THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO DEPEND ON THESE ENHANCED PREMIUM TAX CREDITS, IS ABOUT $1,300 A YEAR. THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MASSACHUSETTS HEALTH CONNECTOR, TESTIFYING IN WASHINGTON ABOUT THE IMPACT. SHE SAYS 10,000 PEOPLE IN MASSACHUSETTS SO FAR HAVE CHOSEN TO DROP COVERAGE BECAUSE OF THE COST. THERE’S 22 MILLION PEOPLE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES THAT DEPEND ON THESE ENHANCED TAX CREDITS TO AFFORD THEIR COVERAGE, SO IT’S DISAPPOINTING THAT POLITICIANS IN WASHINGTON HAVE BEEN NOT PUTTING THOSE AMERICANS FIRST. YESTERDAY, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY CAROLINE LEAVITT BLAMED DEMOCRATS. SHE SAYS THE PRESIDENT AND REPUBLICANS ARE WORKING TO FIND A SOLUTION. DEMOCRATS WROTE OBAMACARE. THEY PASSED IT WITHOUT A SINGLE REPUBLICAN VOTE, AND THEN THEY BALLOONED IT WITH THESE EXPENSIVE COVID SUBSIDIES THAT COMPLETELY DISTORTED THE HEALTH INSURANCE MARKET. AND THEN THEY DOUBLED DOWN, EXTENDING THOSE SUBSIDIES. LET’S START OUT WITH HEALTH CARE ON OTR DEMOCRATIC MINORITY WHIP KATHERINE CLARK CRITICIZED REPUBLICANS FOR FAILING TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION. THEY LOVE TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS IS THE FAULT OF DEMOCRATS. AND REALLY IT COMES BACK DOWN TO DO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE BENEFITS THAT ARE JUST TOO RICH FOR THEM? NOW, TONIGHT, THE HEALTH CONNECTOR IS ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO DO SOME COMPARISON SHOPPING TO FIND THEIR WAY TO A LOWER COST PLAN AND STILL REMAIN COVERED. THE DEADLINE TO SIGN UP FOR COVERAGE IN THE NEW YEA
Concerns are growing throughout Massachusetts about rising health care costs.Weeks before Affordable Care Act subsidies expire, the Senate rejected two health care bills, guaranteeing millions will see price hikes in January. “The average increase across Massachusetts, across the hundreds of thousands of people who depend on these enhanced premium tax credits, is about $1,300 a year,” said Audrey Morse Gasteier, the executive director of the Massachusetts Health Connector. She testified in Washington, D.C., about the impact, saying 10,000 people in the Commonwealth so far chose to drop coverage because of the cost.”There’s 22 million people across the United States that depend on these tax credits to afford their coverage, so it’s disappointing that politicians in Washington are not putting those Americans first,” she said.On Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt blamed Democrats.She said President Donald Trump and Republicans are working to find a solution.”Democrats wrote Obamacare,” Leavitt said on Thursday. “They passed it without a single Republican vote, and then they ballooned it with expensive COVID-19 subsidies that completely distorted the health insurance market, and then they doubled down, extending those subsidies.” On “Off The Record,” Democratic Minority Whip Katherine Clark criticized Republicans for failing to come up with a solution.”They love to say, ‘You know what, this is the fault of the Democrats,'” she said. “And really, it comes down to: do the American people have benefits that are just too rich for them?”
Concerns are growing throughout Massachusetts about rising health care costs.
Weeks before Affordable Care Act subsidies expire, the Senate rejected two health care bills, guaranteeing millions will see price hikes in January.
“The average increase across Massachusetts, across the hundreds of thousands of people who depend on these enhanced premium tax credits, is about $1,300 a year,” said Audrey Morse Gasteier, the executive director of the Massachusetts Health Connector.
She testified in Washington, D.C., about the impact, saying 10,000 people in the Commonwealth so far chose to drop coverage because of the cost.
“There’s 22 million people across the United States that depend on these tax credits to afford their coverage, so it’s disappointing that politicians in Washington are not putting those Americans first,” she said.
On Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt blamed Democrats.
She said President Donald Trump and Republicans are working to find a solution.
“Democrats wrote Obamacare,” Leavitt said on Thursday. “They passed it without a single Republican vote, and then they ballooned it with expensive COVID-19 subsidies that completely distorted the health insurance market, and then they doubled down, extending those subsidies.”
On “Off The Record,” Democratic Minority Whip Katherine Clark criticized Republicans for failing to come up with a solution.
“They love to say, ‘You know what, this is the fault of the Democrats,'” she said. “And really, it comes down to: do the American people have benefits that are just too rich for them?”