Many Americans Get Reality Check As Several States Unveil ACA Price Hikes
Annual premiums will rise sharply — in some cases by tens of thousands of dollars — unless Congress extends Obamacare subsidies. Some people also discovered they would have fewer choices because their insurers dropped out of some markets for 2026, The New York Times reported. Meanwhile, the 28 state exchanges run by the federal government have not yet unveiled their prices.
The New York Times:
Higher Obamacare Prices Become Public In A Dozen States
Health insurance prices for next year under the Affordable Care Act are now available in about a dozen states, giving Americans their first look at the sharp increases many will pay for coverage if Congress does not extend subsidies that have made some plans more affordable. The annual enrollment period for Obamacare is expected to begin Nov. 1, but the costs for some Americans are becoming publicly available piecemeal through some state marketplaces. The federal website healthcare.gov, which includes 28 other state marketplaces, is slated to post prices before the end of October. (Abelson and Sanger-Katz, 10/17)
The Wall Street Journal:
The Government Shutdown Fight Over ACA Subsidies Is Running Out Of Time
“Actually being able to write something that can be put in effect between now and Nov. 1? I don’t know how it gets done,” said Sen. Mike Rounds (R., S.D.). “There are fundamental differences between what Republicans want and what Democrats want on this issue.” (Wise, Mathews and Ferek, 10/19)
The Washington Post:
Here’s Who Pays When Undocumented Immigrants Get Health Care In America
Republicans have attacked Democratic health care demands in shutdown debate as funding medical care for undocumented immigrants. The reality is more complicated. Immigrants living in the United States illegally are ineligible for federal health plans, including Medicaid and Medicare, as well as insurance sold through Affordable Care Act marketplaces. But federal money can indirectly help those immigrants by reimbursing hospitals that are required to provide emergency care to all patients and by supporting state Medicaid programs that use their own money to offer coverage to patients without legal status. (Ovalle, 10/20)
In related news —
Maryland Matters:
State Cites Federal Rules In Postponing Access To Care Act
A plan to give undocumented immigrants access to Maryland’s state health insurance marketplace next year has been put off until 2028 by state officials, citing recent federal policies affecting immigrants as well as overall uncertainty in health care markets. (Brown, 10/18)
More on the federal shutdown —
Politico:
Nearly 3 Weeks In, White House And GOP Remain Aligned On Shutdown
The White House feels as confident about the shutdown on day 19 as it was on day one– in part because congressional Republicans have, for the most part, remained largely in line. “There’s no discussions at all at the rank-and-file level, and what is there even for Republicans to be skittish about?” said a Senate GOP aide granted anonymity to discuss the dynamics between the White House and Congress. (Gangitano, 10/19)
Politico:
California Democrat Ro Khanna: ‘I Agree With Marjorie Taylor Greene’ On Health Care
Rep. Ro Khanna surprised Fox News host Shannon Bream on Sunday when he said he agrees with Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.) on health care. The California Democrat’s remarks came as the ongoing government shutdown appears to be without end as Democrats and Republicans blame each other. In their discussion on the shutdown during “Fox News Sunday,” Bream pointed out that Democrats are demanding an extension of Covid-era subsidies through the Affordable Care Act. When asked why Democrats are holding the line over a policy that was “always supposed to sunset,” Khanna replied: “I agree with Marjorie Taylor Greene. The health care system is broken.” (Daniels, 10/19)
Roll Call:
WIC Becomes A Political Football In Shutdown
Unlike some mandatory spending programs like Social Security, which continues to pay beneficiaries during a shutdown, the WIC program is run using discretionary federal funds appropriated by Congress and allocated to state and tribal agencies by the USDA. WIC cost the federal government about $7.3 billion in fiscal year 2024, and Congress approved another $7.6 billion for fiscal year 2025, which ended Sept. 30. Without more federal financing, state governments, if they have money to spare, would have to decide whether to use state resources to finance the program in their areas and then request federal reimbursement when the government reopens. (Gore, 10/17)
MedPage Today:
Osteopathic Medical Schools Warn Of Fallout From Federal Shutdown
A group representing the nation's osteopathic medical schools urged Congress to end the federal government shutdown before its deeper effects take hold. Outlining current and anticipated impacts from the first 2 weeks of the shutdown, officials with the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) voiced support for two bills that address key challenges faced by its member institutions. ... The budget-driven shutdown leaves the nation's 44 osteopathic schools disproportionately exposed because of their mission focus and funding structure. More than half of schools are located in health professional shortage areas, and they depend heavily on federal programs for medical education, clinical training, and research funding. (McCreary, 10/17)
