GOP Faces Backlash Over Rising Health Care Premiums/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Republicans are under pressure as rising health care premiums spark voter frustration during an ongoing government shutdown. With Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire, the GOP remains divided over solutions while Democrats push for immediate extension. The issue is becoming a political flashpoint ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Health Care Premium Hikes Challenge GOP: Quick Looks
- Voters express concern over surging premiums on ACA marketplace plans
- Republicans criticize Obamacare but offer no unified alternative
- Trump and GOP leaders say subsidies may be extended post-shutdown
- Premium notices for 2026 show significant increases across the country
- ACA enrollment more than doubled since 2020, reaching 24 million
- Democrats demand immediate subsidy extension during shutdown talks
- GOP town halls see rising tension and unanswered questions
- Internal Republican rift emerges over future of health care policy
- CBO estimates permanent subsidy extension would add $350B to deficit
- Key battleground Republicans urge party to address affordability crisis
Deep Look
Republicans Under Fire as Voters Confront Soaring Health Insurance Premiums Amid Policy Gridlock
WASHINGTON (AP) — As the federal government enters its fourth week of a shutdown, pressure is mounting on Republican lawmakers over rising health care premiums, a growing political liability that could shape the 2026 midterm elections. At the heart of the issue is the potential expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies that have kept insurance premiums lower since 2021.
In town halls across the country, GOP lawmakers are being peppered with questions from concerned constituents worried they’ll soon be priced out of coverage. One such moment came during a telephone town hall with Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland, chair of the House Freedom Caucus.
A caller, identified only as Lisa from Harford County, described how her cousin’s disabled son might lose access to ACA coverage due to skyrocketing premiums.
“Now she’s looking at two or three times the premium,” she said. “What’s the Republican plan for health insurance?”
Harris, a seven-term conservative, admitted there wasn’t a concrete plan, suggesting only that the GOP would “try to do something to make sure all the premiums go down.”
GOP Dilemma: Opposing Obamacare, But No Unified Path Forward
Fifteen years after the Affordable Care Act was signed into law, Republicans remain united in criticism of the legislation but deeply divided on how to replace or reform it. As the shutdown drags on, Democrats have demanded an extension of the ACA subsidies as part of reopening the government.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump and GOP leaders have said they are open to an extension — but only after Democrats agree to end the shutdown. That political standoff has real-world consequences: millions of Americans are already receiving notices of steep premium increases for 2026 coverage.
“Premiums are going up whether it gets extended or not,” said Sen. Rick Scott of Florida. “Because Obamacare is a disaster.”
Trump, who campaigned on repealing and replacing Obamacare, has repeatedly promised a better plan. But during a 2024 presidential debate, he said only that he had “concepts of a plan.” Nearly a year into his current term, no official plan has been introduced.
Even Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, offered little detail in a recent NBC interview, stating only, “I fully believe the president has a plan.”
Subsidy Expiration Could Hit Millions
The expiring subsidies, passed in 2021 as part of COVID-19 relief, helped make coverage more affordable for lower- and middle-income Americans. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, enrollment in ACA marketplace plans surged from 11 million in 2020 to more than 24 million in 2025.
If the subsidies aren’t extended, premiums are projected to rise dramatically, with some estimates showing increases of up to 75% for certain plans.
“If health insurance premiums go up that much, most people will just go without health care,” said Sara from Middleville, Michigan, during a town hall with Rep. John Moolenaar.
Moolenaar’s response?
“We have time to negotiate, figure out a plan going forward.”
Internal GOP Tensions
Not all Republicans are on the same page. While House Speaker Mike Johnson claims proposals are “ready immediately” once the government reopens, others in the party are resisting any extension of the subsidies.
“Just maintaining the status quo is very destructive,” said Brian Blase, a former Trump health policy adviser and now president of the Paragon Health Institute.
Michael Cannon of the libertarian Cato Institute is working with unnamed GOP lawmakers on alternatives, including:
- Expanding exemptions given to U.S. territories to all 50 states
- Reviving Trump-era short-term insurance plans that bypass ACA regulations
Meanwhile, the Club for Growth, an influential conservative group, has urged Republicans to let the subsidies expire, citing concerns over government spending.
“We have a big spending problem,” said Club for Growth President David McIntosh. “It’s back to business as usual. I should be paying for my health care.”
CBO: Subsidy Extension Would Add $350B to Deficit
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) recently projected that permanently extending the ACA subsidies would increase the federal deficit by $350 billion from 2026 to 2035. However, it would also expand coverage to an additional 3.8 million Americans by 2035.
For Republicans hoping to present themselves as fiscal conservatives, the CBO’s numbers offer ammunition. But politically, the optics of taking away benefits from millions could be risky.
Democrats Ready to Campaign on Health Care Again
Democrats are seizing the moment to frame Republicans as out of touch with everyday Americans’ concerns. They argue that GOP resistance to the ACA has long hurt working families — and they’re banking on history repeating itself.
In 2018, Democrats flipped the House largely on health care messaging following GOP efforts to repeal Obamacare. A similar campaign is already underway in 2025.
A recent AP-NORC poll found:
- 40% of U.S. adults trust Democrats more on health care
- Only 25% trust Republicans
- Roughly 25% trust neither, while 10% trust both parties equally
Battleground Republicans Sound the Alarm
Some Republicans in competitive districts are urging their leadership to take action. In a recent letter to Speaker Johnson, 13 battleground House Republicans warned that ignoring the issue would be a mistake.
“We now have both the responsibility and the opportunity to address it,” they wrote. “We didn’t create this crisis, but we must solve it.”
Despite growing urgency, no clear Republican consensus has emerged, and with open enrollment for ACA plans starting November 1, voters are left to make tough choices without knowing what lies ahead.
You must Register or Login to post a comment.