Mark Kelly: “in just a few weeks, millions of Americans will start the process of picking new health insurance plans, and I believe a…”

“in just a few weeks, millions of Americans will start the process of picking new health insurance plans, and I believe a number of them are going to see the cost of their health insurance double. This is, unfortunately, not a mistake. It is the price of Washington failing them. And it is not just a number on a bill. It is the first sign for these families that their lives are going to be much harder. We are now 8 days into a government shutdown, but, make no mistake, this debate isn't about something happening here in this building. It is about the price Americans pay for their healthcare--because if we don't work together to extend the Affordable Care Act's premium tax credits, millions of families will see their health insurance costs skyrocket overnight. Last year alone, 309,000 Arizonans used these tax credits, saving them an average of more than $400 per month. Many of them would need to pay hundreds of dollars more per month. Some will see their costs more than double. That is money that a lot of families simply do not have. That means cutting groceries, skipping a car payment, or saying no to the next time that their kid asks to join a school activity, like a Little League team. For a lot of folks, it will mean losing coverage altogether because they just cannot afford it. So, now, these families are going to be one accident or one illness away from financial ruin.”