'We're not big spenders': Meet those behind the fight over health insurance at the center of the shutdown stalemate
Briefly

'We're not big spenders': Meet those behind the fight over health insurance at the center of the shutdown stalemate
"For hundreds of thousands of people across Massachusetts, the fight at the center of the government shutdown carries frightening and immediate consequences: Can they continue to afford government-backed health insurance, or will they face skyrocketing premiums that could shatter their financial security? Since 2021, expanded federal subsidies have made it possible for 337,000 people in Massachusetts to more easily afford health insurance through the Massachusetts Health Connector,the state's version of the Affordable Care Act marketplace."
"Republicans have proposed a one-year extension but say the government must be funded before they would negotiate further. The Congressional Budget Office reported last month that making the expansion permanent would add $350 billion to the national deficit through 2035 but would increase the number of Americans with health insurance by 3.8 million. The lives of millions could be dramatically changed by what Congress does next. If the subsidies expire, some will be entirely excluded from buying coverage through the exchange."
Expanded federal subsidies since 2021 have enabled 337,000 people in Massachusetts to afford health insurance through the Massachusetts Health Connector, the state's ACA marketplace. Democrats seek to make the subsidies permanent while Republicans propose a one-year extension and demand government funding before further negotiation. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that permanent expansion would add $350 billion to the national deficit through 2035 but would insure an additional 3.8 million Americans. If the subsidies expire, some people will be ineligible to buy exchange coverage and most of the 24 million marketplace enrollees will face higher monthly premiums. Average Massachusetts consumers could see annual increases near $1,300.
Read at Boston.com
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