A triumvirate of Ohio’s congressional Democrats called on the GOP Thursday to negotiate on health care tax credits to end the federal government shutdown.
The shutdown holdup stems from tax credits which are designed for lower income Americans through the Affordable Care Act, and are set to expire at the end of the year. It they aren't extended, subsidized plans will increase in cost.
Democrats want the credits extended. Rep. Shontel Brown, representing eastern Cuyahoga County, said she expects health care premiums to double for a family of four in her district.
“When a lot of people see prices go up by $700 a year or $1,000 a year or $2,000 a year, do you know what's going to happen? They're going to end up uninsured,” Brown said. “Or they're going to have to choose between health insurance or saving for college, or health insurance or paying for rent, and health insurance or paying their heating bills this winter.”
Rep. Marcy Kaptur, representing much of Northern Ohio’s lakeshore, said health insurance costs will increase $10,000 to $15,000 per year for seniors.
“It will make a more dangerous country because we will not have the doctors in place and we will not have the health care that people have become accustomed to," she said, adding that health insurance will also increase from $250 to $400 per month for working adults who receive ACA benefits.
“There are a lot of problems with the current system, but raiding it of essential dollars to keep people alive and insurance affordable is not a solution," Kaptur said.
Earlier this week, Vice President JD Vance said in a CBS News interview that some people deserve the health care tax credits, but they also contribute to waste and fraud in the insurance industry.
Rep. Greg Landsman represents the tip of Southwest Ohio, which includes Cincinnati.
"It's about 32,000 of my constituents who will see their health care costs skyrocket if we don't extend these ACA subsidies, 14,000 of whom will lose their health care altogether," Landsman said. "Now there are some districts where it's even worse."
The Ohio democratic leaders also said they’re concerned about the cuts to Medicaid in the federal budget.
“The people who will pay the price of this are American workers, American retirees, the middle class, the working class, urban areas, suburban areas, rural areas. Rural areas are going to get hit really hard on this one,” Kaptur said.
More than 3 million Ohioans utilize Medicaid benefits, according to the Center for Community Solutions.
