Delaware’s Congressional delegation – all Democrats – rail against Republicans in Washington as Affordable Care Act premiums increase.
The ongoing federal government shutdown has largely turned on the issue of ACA tax credits.
Democrats want a guarantee to extend while Republicans say they won't negotiate until a continuing resolution is passed to reopen the government.
The stalemate is now over a month old - running past the November 1 start of ACA open enrollment, allowing people to see how high ACA premiums will be in 2026.
Sen. Chris Coons gives one example of skyrocketing increases.
"A standard ACA silver plan for a family of 2 in Wilmington, making $85,000 was 585 a month, and will now be $2,900 a month. That is a staggering increase, and this is just the next step in what has been a decade-long effort by Republicans to repeal and kill the Affordable Care Act," said Coons.
Coons notes the GOP is trying to gut the ACA piece-by-piece by repealing Medicaid expansion, repealing tax cuts for the ACA and repealing funding for easy enrollment for the Affordable Care Act.
Coons says with open enrollment starting on November 1, he hopes the public can now better understand Democrats' position.
"This time around, they're not having a straight up repeal vote,” said Coons. “They're trying to squeeze it out of existence by allowing to expire the tax credits that make it affordable, and lots of Americans, lots of Delawareans don't realize this is happening because they're just now getting full visibility into what the impact will be."
Coons calls Republican Senate Majority leader John Thune optimistic on his prediction that the shutdown will end this week since there’s been no negotiation, and Thune has said he won’t negotiate.
Coons says Thune needs to come to the table to re-open the government.
Rep. Sarah McBride also criticized President Trump and Republicans for not wanting to negotiate, and for not funding SNAP benefits during the shutdown.
