Dems in the hot seat after Obamacare’s spiking premium costs torpedo their narrative
By: Cameron Arcand (Fox News)
People Cannot Afford Obamacare!
That's the headline Democrats are trying to obfuscate. Subsidized for-profit medical care regulated by private insurance companies is a recipe for corruption.
ACA has not lowered the cost of medical care. ACA has not protected access to medical care in smaller communities. ACA has not reduced the need for credit to pay medical bills. ACA has not lowered the risk of medical bankruptcy. ACA has been a windfall for passive investors in healthcare.
Obamacare has been a solution that created more problems than were solved. And now Democrats are holding the country hostage with a government shutdown because they cannot admit a bigly screw up? How far do Democrats want to kick the can this time?
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., joins 'The Faulkner Focus' to discuss Democrats' demands for reopening the government and her criticisms of blue state leaders' soft-on-crime policies.
Democrats are accusing Republicans of wanting to inflate Affordable Care Act premiums amid the ongoing federal government shutdown debate as critics argue it's proof that the program was not sustainable to begin with.
One reason for the shutdown centers around the "enhanced" tax credits for Affordable Care Act premiums as the subsidies, which started in 2021, are set to end this year, according to KFF.
"If you live in these states, your ACA premiums are about to jump: SD - Up 235% LA - Up 150% WV - Up 387% WY - Up 382% TN - Up 320% MS - Up 314% AK - Up 346%," Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., posted on X.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., from left, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Vice President JD Vance speak to members of the media outside the West Wing at the White House in Washington, Monday, Sept. 29, 2025, in Washington, D.C.(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
"Republicans are fighting to make sure this happens to their own constituents," she added.
"If Congress doesn't extend ACA enhanced premium tax credits, 20 million Americans will see a dramatic rise in premium costs, and another 4 million people will lose their coverage completely," Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-New Hampshire, posted on X.
"My Republican colleagues need to come to the table so that we can prevent this disaster," she added.
However, subsidies being used to lower costs sparks concerns about the longevity of the Obama-era policy.
Brian Blase, the president of the Paragon Health Institute and a former advisor on the White House's National Economic Council, countered a claim made in a post from Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., that "Republicans are intentionally skyrocketing your premiums."
"1. Premiums went up because of the ACA 2. Large subsidies were put in place to offset enrollees' costs. 3. During COVID, there were subsidy add-ons. Democrats scheduled them to expire after 2025. 4. The original large subsidies will still be in place," Blase explained.
"The premium increase will hit regardless of what Congress does. That is an unfortunate feature of how Obamacare is working. The question is the share that should be paid by taxpayers," he continued in another X post. "Pouring more subsidies on insurers entrenches the status quo & means higher premiums & prices."
House Democrats, led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, are warning their party is rejecting any government shutdown deal that does not extend expiring Obamacare subsidies.(Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images; Debra L Rothenberg/WireImage)
"Subsidizing phantom enrollees, people with high incomes, people enrolled in several programs, outright fraud, and insurance companies, thereby raising the costs for *everyone* to cover the fact that every predicted problem with Obamacare was realized," conservative commentator Mary Katharine Ham posted.
The government shutdown began Wednesday at midnight and a GOP-backed attempt to temporarily reopen the government failed in the Senate later in the day.
"Democrats are fighting to extend expiring COVID-era Obamacare subsidies they passed under Joe Biden with zero Republican support," Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, posted in an X thread on Wednesday. "These subsidies are responsible for tens of billions in improper and fraudulent payments."
"The pool of people eligible for Obamacare subsidies vastly increased, with insurance companies being the ultimate beneficiaries. Dishonest brokers were incentivized to recruit—or invent—as many people as possible, each new signup bringing with it thousands in taxpayer dollars," the senator continued.
Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday told "Fox and Friends" that he will work with Democrats on extending insurance subsidies for Obamacare "after they've reopened the government."
"You can't reward this exercise in hostage taking, which is what we would be doing if we allow the government opening to be conditional on the Democrats' policy disagreement," Vance said.
"That premium support program doesn't even expire until next year. So why are you shutting down the government on October 1 because of a program that doesn't even expire for another few months," he continued. "Let's talk about it, let's negotiate, let's do what you do in Washington, D.C."
"The government shutdown has occurred because Senator Chuck Schumer is holding the funding process hostage. The continuing resolution would have allowed the government to function while we finish the appropriations process in a bipartisan way," Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., posted on Wednesday. "The longer Senator Schumer plays games, the greater the damage to national security, service members, and veterans. I urge my Democrat colleagues to adopt the House-passed bill, which would immediately reopen the government."
Cameron Arcand is a politics writer at Fox News Digital in Washington D.C. Story tips can be sent to Cameron.Arcand@Fox.com and on Twitter: @cameron_arcand
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Is Obamacare really worth saving? Maybe it is time to dump a bad idea and try something more practical.
Democrats are confirming everything they were warned about when Democrats rammed Obamacare down the country's throats. As Barack Obama once chided, it's time for Democrats to eat their peas.
Do digress ...
He don’t care. He’s cashed in with multiple mansions and yachts.
You left out the private jets and helicopters ... and scores of mini putt courses @!@
Don't you all think that it's about time America grew up and emulated other advanced nations with universal healthcare?
Yes, we should strive for longer wait times and less access to elective procedures just like Canada.
Sounds great.
How does bankruptcy sound to you?
Most people have insurance. I'm sure those who don't would rather go bankrupt receiving top of the line care than having "free" care they can't access.
And it's the insurance companies that tell your doctors what procedures they can perform.
Although the Americans may be critical of Canada's health care, I and my family had excellent health care in Canasa - no expense and no complaints. During my lifetime I had three successful operations for minor problems, requiring short hospital stays and they cost me no more than a minor lab fee. If a procedure is not available in Canada, it will still be paid for by the government. Urgent matters are dealt with but If someone can afford it and does not want to wait a while for a non-urgent procedure that can be done in Canada, and chooses to have it done elsewhere, then they will not be reimbursed. I know that happens, and it is what is one of the criticisms, but I see nothing wrong with that. Of course, you must realize I have been in China for the past more than 19 years so I am not cognizent of what is happening in Canada now.
Good point. So much better to have government bureaucrats making those decisions.
I had 3 operations, all for life threatening issues and the only bill was for cable tv rental. Zero wait times.
Ever read Grisham's book The Rainmaker, or watch its movie adaptation? What it's about doesn't happen in Canada.
I have, but i don't mistake pulp fiction novels for reality.
I get it, it might take more than two months to get a routine CT scan in Canada, but the government will kill you within a couple days of asking. Keeps costs down.
Canada has filed for bankruptcy??
I believe that Hallux was making the point that it is Americans who go bankrupt because of what their health care costs them. NOBODY goes bankrupt in Canada because of health care, and the government can afford it. We pay for it with our income tax payments to the government, which means that those who have sufficient income to pay taxes pay for their health care indirectly, while those who don't have enough income to pay taxes do not have to pay for it. As a person who paid taxes, I felt that was an entirely fair and unselfish method. In fact, even though I have not lived in Canada for more than 19 years I still pay taxes to Canada, they are deducted from my Canadian pension payments and I still do not resent that it pays for poor people's health care..
In the hot seat?
Republicans are in the total MAJORITY.
Republicans are attacking, bullying and cutting everything everywhere all at once. They brag about power and TOTAL control so what is the problem?
Are Republicans too weak to use their majority to just pass what they want???
Republicans DO NOT need even one vote from across the aisle. They could pass it but the blame game takes priority.