In just 16 days,  the Affordable Care Act open enrollment period begins, as over 22 million Americans face a 114% increase in health insurance premiums. And still, House Speaker Mike Johnson this morning doubled down on his claims that extending the ACA enhanced tax subsidies is “not the issue of today” and that it is a “very complicated, complex matter.” The reality is anything but complicated: Insurers are already finalizing rates for 2026, and letters to policyholders are out the door, meaning that Americans’ premiums and uninsured rates for next year will spike if Republicans get their way and the subsidies aren’t extended immediately. 

In response, DNC Rapid Response Director Kendall Witmer released the following statement: 

“In 16 days, open enrollment starts for the Affordable Care Act. If Republicans get their way, millions of Americans will see their out-of-pocket health care premiums skyrocket to astronomical levels — meaning that millions of working families will have to decide between paying for groceries, rent, or health care or drop their coverage completely. Trump and Republicans are dead set on protecting their billionaire tax cuts instead of making health care affordable for Americans. Trump’s tax cuts cost more than 10 TIMES the amount of extending the ACA credits. Time and again, he’s proved that his government is about enriching the ultrawealthy and powerful, while working families are left to fend for themselves.”

Trump and Republicans’ refusal to extend the ACA subsidies is already raising premiums and will cause Americans to lose coverage. Experts are warning that if the enhanced ACA tax credits aren’t extended immediately, premiums will spike sharply and many people will be forced to drop their coverage completely.

Americans blame Trump and Republicans for Trump’s shutdown by a 10-point margin, and new polling shows that the overwhelming bipartisan majority of Americans believe the ACA tax credits should be extended — yet Republicans continue to ignore Americans’ concerns. Democrats have put forward a common-sense proposal that prevents devastating health care price spikes — all Trump and Republicans need to do is show up for work.