Patty Murray: “right now, families are trying to get health coverage for next year--a few weeks away--and they are coming face to face…”

“right now, families are trying to get health coverage for next year--a few weeks away--and they are coming face to face with the MAGA healthcare hike. That is not some theory or talking point; that is the stone-cold reality. Just talk to folks back home, and they will tell you that premiums are doubling, on average, for people losing the ACA-enhanced premium tax credits. In some cases, they are tripling or quadrupling or even worse. I have heard from seniors who will see their premium jump more than $1,000 a month. I have heard from a family in Washington State whose premium will jump $2,000 a month. A new KFF poll found that one in four people will just go without health coverage if their premium doubles. Again, that is the average increase families are facing because of Republican inaction. That is the reality we are staring down this very moment. This is hitting seniors who are too young for Medicare but can't afford to roll the dice on their health. This is hitting small businesses that rely on the exchanges and tax credits to get coverage for themselves and their employees. It is hitting farmers, many of whom are covered on the exchanges. I have to say, the reason that I call this the MAGA healthcare hike is because it is going to hit MAGA States the hardest, even as Trump calls affordability a scam. The 10 States where premiums are jumping by the highest percentage are all Republican States, every single one.”