Washington D.C — Today, House Republicans are voting on a half-baked health care “plan” that does nothing to protect the expiring health care tax credits that help millions of Americans afford basic, high-quality health insurance. This Republican health care plan would make the situation worse and leave even more working people without coverage. Americans are already struggling with affordability, and now some people could even see their monthly premium costs jump by hundreds or even thousands of dollars starting next year.
If Republicans in Congress get their way, many Americans will be forced to choose between paying sky-high premiums or going without health care. Some Republican members of Congress have even admitted that they know people’s premiums could double if Congress doesn’t extend the health care tax credits. They can see the pain they’re about to inflict on the American people, yet, as of right now, House Republican leadership is full steam ahead on this truly backwards health care plan.
However, there is another path. A bipartisan set of lawmakers has forced a vote on a three-year extension of the health care tax credits championed by House Democrats. All Republicans in Congress should join them and vote to support a three-year extension immediately. Republicans have spent the past year lighting Americans’ health care on fire. Supporting this measure will not erase that, but it could help millions of people find their way out of this Republican-made health care limbo.
“If Republicans in Congress truly want to help their already struggling constituents, they would vote against this horrible health care plan,” said Unrig Our Economy Campaign Director Leor Tal. “They should keep in mind what one of their own colleagues said: ‘Anybody that sees their health care costs increase is going to blame Republicans.’ But the solution is simple. Republicans in Congress must vote to pass the three-year extension of the tax credits now and actually protect health care for millions of people. Anything less would be a betrayal of the working class families they claim to represent.”
To learn more about the campaign, visit UnrigOurEconomy.com or contact press@unrigoureconomy.com
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About Unrig Our Economy
Unrig Our Economy is a national campaign to fix the rules of our economy to make it work for working people. We know that when the middle class does well, all of us do well — which is why we’re fighting on behalf of working Americans and holding corporations, their wealthy executives, and the politicians who enable them accountable.