DURBIN STATEMENT ON REPUBLICANS VOTING TO RAISE HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS FOR TENS OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS

The following information was released by Illinois Senator Richard J. Durbin:

U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after Senate Republicans rejected Senate Democrats' proposal to extend the Affordable Care Act's enhanced premium tax credits to ensure millions of Americans could continue to afford their health care plans in 2026:

"Need I remind my Republicans colleagues that their votes have real consequences for the people of this country?

"Shame on Republicans for, once again, voting to push millions of their own constituents off their health care. Senate Republicans' vote today was the latest action in their 15 year crusade to demolish the Affordable Care Act despite the law putting affordable, quality health care within reach for tens of millions of Americans.

"I want to work with my colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, to make the Affordable Care Act better. But we need buy-in from congressional Republicans to move forward. I hope that my Republican colleagues, after today's failed vote to extend the ACA's enhanced premium tax credits, will finally understand the urgency of this health care crisis and make a real effort to protect Americans' health care."

Shortly before the Senate held its vote on extending the ACA's enhanced premium tax credits, Durbin spoke on the floor about protecting Americans' health care coverage. In his remarks, he underscored that Congress must swiftly address the rising cost of health care to ensure that Americans are not priced out of their insurance. He spoke about a constituent working at a diner in Chicago who relies on the ACA's enhanced premium tax credits to afford her insurance, but she is worried that she will not be able to afford her insurance come January 1.

"I met a waitress at a Chicago Loop restaurant during breakfast last Sunday. She's 63 years old, and she spent her life as a waitress. It's taken its toll on her physically. She was in tears as she described to me about what is going to happen to her if we fail to act the right way on this legislation. She's going to see her health care bill more than double - $300 or $400 more per month. She doesn't know how she can do it [pay for her insurance], and I don't either. That's what we have to address first," Durbin said.

"The question today is whether the Senate will extend the ACA's enhanced premium tax credits... If we fail to extend these tax credits, that waitress and 22 million Americans will begin to pay double or triple for their insurance in three weeks, including 500,000 people living in Illinois. More than four million Americans will not be able to afford their insurance at these high rates and will be forced to forgo health coverage for next year," Durbin said.

"Senate Democrats have sounded the alarm bell about the need to prevent this catastrophe. We have told the stories of our constituents who called our offices crying because they are afraid that they will not be able to afford their health care next year. We have shared reports from the farmers, small businesses owners, and rural hospitals who rely on these tax credits," Durbin said.

"Every Senate Democrat is united behind a plan just to extend the ACA's enhanced premium tax credits and ensure continued access to quality, affordable health coverage. Republicans are not united behind any plan. They haven't been for 15 years... You're [Senate Republicans] in the majority. We need 13 of you today to join us and show the bravery that Senator McCain did in that early morning hour [when he voted to save the ACA]," Durbin concluded his remarks.

To combat the rising cost of health care, congressional Democrats implemented ACA enhanced premium tax credits through the American Rescue Plan in 2021 and extended them in the Inflation Reduction Act through the end of 2025. As a result of these enhanced premium tax credits, the number of Americans covered on the ACA's marketplace increased from 11 million in 2020 to 24 million this year.

Despite millions of Americans relying on these tax credits, congressional Republicans have refused to act to extend them, consequently threatening health care coverage for Americans that cannot otherwise afford to pay for their premiums. This is in addition to the nearly $1 trillion in cuts congressional Republicans made to Medicaid in the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was passed at the direction of President Trump in order to fund tax breaks for billionaires.

Congressional Democrats have been pushing to make quality health care more accessible for millions of Americans for more than 15 years. The ACA, championed by Democrats, changed the landscape of health care in the U.S. by expanding and ensuring coverage. Prior to the passage of the legislation in 2010, insurance companies routinely denied patients coverage if they had pre-existing conditions, preventing millions of Americans from securing an affordable health care plan.