AS OPEN ENROLLMENT BEGINS, WHITEHOUSE VOWS TO CONTINUE FIGHTING TO LOWER HEALTH CARE COSTS

The following information was released by Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse:

As Rhode Islanders start logging in to their Healthsource RI accounts to select health insurance coverage for next year, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse vowed to continue fighting to lower health care costs for the more than 40,000 Rhode Islanders who rely on the Affordable Care Act for their family's health insurance.

"As Rhode Islanders sign up for health insurance, monthly premiums skyrocket, and are a direct result of Republicans' refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits,"said Whitehouse. "Rhode Islanders can't absorb hundreds of extra dollars in increased costs each month for the same health care plan they already had. Democrats will keep fighting to prevent this Republican cost tsunami and fix our broken health care system."

In July, President Trump and Congressional Republicans jammed through their Big, Beautiful-for-Billionaires bill, whichslashes almost a trillion dollars from Medicaid, triggers a half-trillion dollars in Medicare cuts, and raises health insurance costs, all to bankroll tax breaks for billionaires and big corporations. Without bipartisan action to extend the Affordable Care Act enhanced premium tax credits, health insurance premiums are set tomore than doubleon average next year.

The new law also included a hidden cut to Medicare from adding $4.1 trillion to the national debt, automatically triggeringthe Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act,which will impose $536 billion in automatic cuts to Medicare over the next decade.

During open enrollment, insured and uninsured Rhode Islanders can compare health insurance coverage options and choose health plans for 2026.