Evers, Baldwin, U.S. reps discuss looming health insurance increases

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin and U.S. Reps. Mark Pocan (D-Madison) and Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee) appeared together in a rare, joint press conference on Monday to warn about the anticipated jumps in health insurance rates if Affordable Care Act tax credits are not extended. They all urged Republicans to support a plan to extend the tax credits before new, higher rates kick in.

“Affordable health care shouldn’t just be for the wealthy, “Evers said during the 30-minute Zoom conference call with media from across the state. “The people who will be hurt the most are the middle class; 40% said they will be priced out of coverage entirely, if these tax credits go away.”

When asked about the average increase in the state, Evers wasn’t sure of an exact number.

“No matter what the percentage is, it’s a helluva lot,” Evers responded.

Several of the speakers gave examples from real-life individuals and families across the state about how they have been told that their insurance rates will jump after the tax credits are gone.

“Some people will see staggering increases that could be $30,000 a year,” he said.

Evers gave an example that one person would see an insurance increase from $886 to $2,300. A Rice Lake couple could see it increase by 800%, he said.

Evers said that 78% of Americans support extending the tax credits, citing a poll.

“Families are struggling, now more than ever,” Evers said. “Congressional Republicans would rather shut down the government than work with Democrats.”

Evers added: “There is no excuse for it. None. Wisconsinites expect their leaders to work together to solve problems.”

Baldwin stressed that this is a crisis that is completely avoidable.

“This is a choice my Republican colleagues are making,” she said. “This is why I got into public service to begin with.”

An estimated 22 million Americans will see their insurance rates double, Baldwin said.

“Every single Wisconsinite will pay more through healthcare.gov next year, period,” she said. “For some people, it will be far worse. These health care benefits will be stripped away.”

Baldwin said many will drop their insurance “because it’s more than they can afford.”

“Open enrollment starts in just five days. That gives Republicans just five days to avoid this health care cliff.”

Like Evers, Baldwin gave examples of some anticipated hikes from across the state. She said a family in Barron is looking at a $33,000 annual increase, which is more than a third of their overall income. Baldwin gave an example of a man who will see his family’s rates go from $9,000 to $28,000.

“Where are [these families] going to get that money?” Baldwin said.

It leaves families wondering if they need to put off on buying a car or might lead individuals to take money out of their retirement funds to pay for their insurance, Baldwin said.

“These are the stories I’m hearing over and over again,” she said.

Moore said she was shocked when she began hearing some of the premium price increases, with many taking effect Nov. 1.

“We’re going to see families like this take some risks and drop their health care and cross their fingers,” she said.

Moore noted that a lot of people in their mid-20s who are no longer on their parents’ insurance plans are now wondering what to do.

“They are not making a choice to lose health care; they are simply being priced out of the market,” Moore said. “This is a crisis, and Republicans need to come to the table. It’s not just my constituents; it’s [Republican U.S. Rep.] Marjorie Taylor Greene’s constituents in Georgia.”

Moore said everyone will see their insurance premiums rise because of the emergency care that will be given to those who no longer have insurance.

Pocan spoke last, and he criticized the Republican House leadership for not being in session for most of the past three months.

Pocan said of the 22 million Americans who use the Affordable Care Act exchange to get their insurance, roughly 4 million are expected to simply drop their coverage, rather than pay the spiked increases.

Pocan said several insurance providers are simply leaving the market, which will provide fewer options for people who use the Affordable Care Act.

“This is important for every single family in Wisconsin,” Pocan said.

Baldwin said an agreement needs to be reached to extend the tax credits as part of reopening the government.

“The idea that President [Donald] Trump is jet-setting all around Asia right now, and instructing Republican leadership not to talk to Democrats — that’s not how we govern,” she said.

Baldwin urged Trump to get involved to resolve the government shutdown.

“It’s going to take the leaders coming to the table to resolve this,” Baldwin said. “If Donald Trump said to the leaders of both houses, ‘Just fix this,’ it would be fixed in a matter of minutes. But the leaders are refusing to negotiate.”

GOP response

“Premiums have and are skyrocketing due to the faulty design of Obamacare,” U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson said in a statement to the Leader-Telegram on Monday. “Both its basic subsidies and the temporary pandemic-enhanced subsidies only hide the ACA’s failure to deliver on its promises. Democrats scheduled the enhanced subsidies to expire, but subsidies for people at or below 400% of the poverty level will continue. Spending hundreds of billions of dollars on a failed program will not fix it and will further mortgage our children’s future.”

The Republican Party of Wisconsin criticized the Democrats for failing to support the plan to reopen the government before Congress.

“Democrats are doing everything they can to distract Americans from their failures. President Trump has delivered historic wins for healthcare, especially in rural communities by providing much needed investments,” WisGOP chairman Brian Schimming told the Leader-Telegram. “Meanwhile, Democrats want to cut those same investments and are using Americans and this shutdown as leverage to do so.”

Josh Schoemann, a Republican candidate for governor, also criticized the Democrats’ remarks.

“Madison and Washington, DC are dysfunctional messes and the people of Wisconsin shouldn’t expect the kind of reform on big issues like education, transportation, and health care from the same old status quo politicians,” Schoemann said in a statement to the Leader-Telegram. “As I’ve traveled across all 72 Wisconsin counties, one thing has been made clear: Voters want a new generation of solution-oriented and proven reformers who are focused on the people, not the institutions or politicians themselves. It’s time for a change.”

NRCC Spokesman Zach Bannon defended the Republican’s position and urged Democrats to reopen the government.

“Republicans are committed to delivering affordable, high-quality healthcare for all Americans, with leaders like Derrick Van Orden making sure rural communities aren’t left behind. Meanwhile, Democrats continue to chase socialist policies and illegal immigrant priorities, rejecting common sense time and time again,” Bannon said.

© 2025 the Leader-Telegram (Eau Claire, Wis.). Visit www.leadertelegram.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.