"Covered California is the state's health exchange, created by the Affordable Healthcare Act, signed into law 15 years ago by President Barack Obama. The vast majority of the 24 million Americans who get health coverage through these state exchanges receive significant premium subsidies that sunset at the end of this year. That's because Republicans in Congress have decided not to renew them. As a federal government shutdown enters its fifth week, Democrats in Congress are holding out for those subsidies to be reinstated, leading to the government shutdown."
"Anyone who goes to Covered California in the coming weeks to sign up for 2026 health insurance will be confronted by the new, unsubsidized rates. On average, premiums will increase $125 per person per month, according to Jagdip Dhillon, a spokesperson for Covered California. That translates to a 97% increase, on average, in monthly premium costs. Covered California expects many people to go uninsured if they lose the enhanced subsidies, Dhillon said."
""We are in a health care crisis and Republicans don't even want to talk about how to fix it," Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, said Tuesday. "The president isn't even in town as Americans are about to be devastated by the bills they'll receive on health care.""
More than 82,000 Alameda County residents obtain insurance through Covered California, with open enrollment beginning Nov. 1. Enhanced premium subsidies that lower costs for exchange enrollees expire at year-end because Congress did not renew them, coinciding with a federal government shutdown. Covered California projects average premium increases of $125 per person per month, a 97% rise, if enhanced subsidies lapse. Premiums are expected to rise for roughly 20 million Americans, and the Congressional Budget Office estimates 4.2 million people could lose ACA coverage when the subsidies expire. An Urban Institute study estimates at least 174,000 Californians, about 7% of exchange enrollees, could lose coverage; if that rate holds in Alameda County, roughly 5,750 people could lose coverage.
Read at The Oaklandside
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