Senate Republican Leadership Blocks Shaheen’s Effort to Stabilize Healthcare Marketplaces

Congressional Documents & Publications

Trump administration has caused 'manufactured crisis' in the health insurance marketplace by refusing to commit to payments designed to reduce consumers' health care costs

(Washington DC) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) today asked the Senate to unanimously approve her legislation to provide certainty in the healthcare marketplaces and lower premiums for consumers. Her effort was thwarted by the objection of Senator John Barasso (R-WY). The Trump administration is causing chaos in the health insurance marketplace by refusing to commit to payments provided by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Those payments help Americans afford insurance coverage. The uncertainty has caused insurers to raise premiums and even leave ACA marketplaces altogether. Sen. Shaheen's Marketplace Certainty Act would help bring stability to the marketplace by permanently appropriating the cost-sharing reductions (CSRs) and making cost-sharing reductions available to more Americans.

"The Trump administration has caused unnecessary instability in the ACA marketplaces that directly impacts working families in New Hampshire and across the country," said Senator Shaheen. "By refusing to commit to cost sharing reductions, the Trump administration has caused premiums to go up and insurers to drop out of marketplaces. My bill would make good on our commitment to help working families with their deductibles and end this manufactured crisis. The American people want Congress to work across the aisle to fix the problems in our healthcare system and improve coverage for Americans."

Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tom Carper (D-DE), Bob Casey (D-PA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angus King (I-VT), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ed Markey (D-MA), PaJack Reed (D-RI), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Tom Udall (D-NM), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Mark Warner (D-VA) are co-sponsors of the Marketplace Certainty Act.