U.S. REP. KATHY CASTOR JOINED BY TAMPA SMALL BUSINESS OWNER WHO FACES CRUSHING COST INCREASE FOR HEALTH COVERAGE FOR STATE OF THE UNION

The following information was released by the office of Florida Rep. Kathy Castor:

Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14) announced that Tampa small business owner Linda Misner will join her as her guest to President Trump's State of the Union address to highlight how Republicans in Congress and the Trump Administration are driving up health care costs for working families and small business owners while giving massive tax giveaways for the wealthy and well-connected.

For years, Linda and her husband relied on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace as their only affordable option for health insurance as small business owners. In 2025, their monthly premium for a high-deductible Florida Blue plan was about $238. After Republicans allowed the ACA enhanced Premium Tax Credits (ePTC) and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) premium cap to expire at the end of 2025, their 2026 premium skyrocketed to more than $3,200 a month nearly $39,000 a yearfor a plan with a limited network and a sky-high deductible.

Like too many Floridians, Linda and her husband were priced out of the marketplacealtogether and forced into a plan with nearly $900 in monthly premiums, $8,500 deductibles, no prescription coverage, and exclusions for pre-existing conditions. Now they are delaying care, avoiding the emergency room, and paying out of pocket for essential health needs.

Since taking office last year, Trump and Congressional Republicans have prioritized tax breaks for billionaires and special interests over the health and financial security of working familiesgutting protections under the ACA and ripping away initiatives that made health care more affordable for hardworking Americans. Their agenda is forcing small business owners and older Americans to make impossible choices between paying for health care, putting food on the table, or keeping up with their mortgage.

"Congressional Republicans and Trump are draining my neighbors' wallets dry and forcing families to choose between health care and other essential expenses," said Rep. Castor. "For Linda and her husband, health care premiums went from about $300 a month to more than $3,200 a monththat is ludicrous. No one should have to choose between a mortgage payment and the medicine they need. While Republicans fight hard to protect tax handouts for billionaires, I am fighting to restore health care savings, cap costs, and protect people with preexisting conditions. I'm honored to have Linda with me to put a real face on the damage Trump and Congressional Republicans are doing to families and small businesses here in the Tampa Bay area and across the country."

"As small business owners, the ACA was our only affordable option for health insurance," said Linda Misner. "When Congressional Republicans let the premium tax credits and caps expire, our costs exploded overnight. We went from a few hundred dollars a month to being quoted more than $3,000 a month for minimal coverageand many companies wouldn't insure us at all because of our age and minor medical issues. We're now paying thousands for a bad plan with huge deductibles, no prescription coverage, and exclusions for pre-existing conditions. It's forcing us to delay care and avoid needed procedures. Health care should be a lifeline, not a financial trap. I'm joining Representative Castor to demand that Congress restore the ACA savings and protect affordable coverage for small business owners, workers, and families like mine."