The column below reflects the views of the author, and these opinions are neither endorsed nor supported by WisOpinion.com.
A Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) poll found Americans are worried about rising health care premiums, and want the GOP-led Senate to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits. The Wall Street Journal reported the Senate’s failure has resulted in a doubling of premium costs for many, and that rising premiums are often higher than monthly mortgage payments. No wonder ACA enrollment nationally has dropped more than 1 million, including over 22,000 in Wisconsin.
Senate Democrats, including Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin, have been warning about this outcome for many months. A few Republicans get this. Ohio Representative David Joyce voted to extend the ACA tax credits. Joyce said: “We dropped the ball miserably by not doing something on health care all year long, knowing that the subsidy issue (ACA tax credits) was going to be here at the end of the year. We didn’t do a damn thing about it.” Joyce was joined by 16 other GOP representatives, including Wisconsin Representative Derrick Van Orden.
If Van Orden is serious about extending ACA tax credits he must ask Senate Republicans, including Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson, to stop stonewalling and join all Democratic senators in approving an extension of the tax credits. 4 GOP senators, Sens. Collins, Hawley, Murkowski and Sullivan, voted for an extension; 9 more GOP senators are needed to end a GOP filibuster. It’s not too late! The KFF said: “There is no drop-dead date for an ACA tax credit extension, but coverage losses will mount as the clock ticks. … ACA enrollees would welcome premium relief whenever it comes.”
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The American Hospital Association has made a solid case for the GOP-led Senate to approve an extension of the ACA enhanced premium tax credits (EPTCs): “More than 22 million people who rely on EPTCs will face higher costs; out-of-pocket premiums will more than double …; 36% more uninsured individuals in rural communities; and steepest annual premium hikes for individuals aged 50 and 65 – as high as $4,600.”
Extending the ACA tax credits “would cost the federal government around $23 billion” for 2026 (NYT). Remember the GOP-Trump Big Beautiful Bill “cut taxes by $4.5 trillion over the next decade, primarily with $2.3 trillion of provisions that deliver most of their benefits to the richest 10 percent …” (Center for American Progress). Wisconsin GOP Senator Ron Johnson championed extending the pass-through tax dodge, that mostly benefits the wealthy – the top 1 percent and big business. High time for Johnson to help regular folks by extending the ACA tax credits.
Wisconsin Democrats are listening to regular folks; advocating policies to lower health care costs like supporting the ACA tax credits and more. 3rd Congressional District Democratic candidate Rebecca Cooke wants to improve and expand Medicare and “take on prescription drug companies.” And, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Sara Rodriguez wants to support and expand BadgerCare, protect patients and help rural hospitals.
Wisconsin Democrats are promoting affordability and economic security, while Republicans’ stonewalling on ACA tax credits results in more suffering and political payback for the GOP in November.
Kaplan wrote a guest column from Washington, D.C., for the Wisconsin State Journal from 1995 – 2009.
