About 2,700 Island County residents could lose tax care health credit

A total of 2,735 lower-income Island County residents will see their health insurance premiums skyrocket if Congress doesn't extend the Enhanced Premium Tax Credit, which is a sticking point for Democrats that led to the federal government shutdown, according to a release from U.S. Senator Marie Cantwell of Washington.

While 4.37% of the county's population receive the credit — which is higher than the state average of about 3.3% — the senator's office estimated that the cost of premiums could rise 52% in Island County, which is the lowest increase in the state.

The Democratic senator released a county-by-county breakdown that shows where people will be hit hardest by the looming health care price hikes. The seven counties hit hardest are all east of the Cascades. Yakima County residents, for example, could see a 133% increase.

On Nov. 1, state residents who purchase their own health insurance on Washington Healthplanfinder will "start locking in sky-high rates due to the GOP's refusal to negotiate an extension of the Enhanced Premium Tax Credit," the press release states.

In the state, one in 30 residents receive Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, which help low-income people afford health insurance. San Juan County has the highest percentage of recipients at 11.4%, the press release states.

Cantwell, who serves as a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, delivered a speech on the Senate floor taking her Republican colleagues to task.

"You have no ideas on how you are going to help keep people insured, or keep these hospitals operating. So instead of meaningful negotiations, my colleagues have decided they don't want to tell us what their ideas are to deal with the current crisis. It is not a next year problem, it is a today problem," Cantwell said in her Oct. 1 speech.

President Donald Trump, on the other hand, has said the shutdown must first end and then work can begin on extending the health care credit.

"I am happy to work with the Democrats on their Failed Healthcare Policies, or anything else, but first they must allow our Government to re-open. In fact, they should open our Government tonight!" Trump wrote on social media earlier this month.

It's not just low-income people who are facing higher medical insurance bills. Last month, Cantwell released a snapshot report detailing a "drastic increase" in how much Americans who purchase health insurance on the open market will pay next year. While health premiums typically rise every year, the report found that rates are expected to increase 20% in 20 states that were studied.