Today marks the 16th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which more than 117,000 Idahoans relied on to afford their health care last year. However, because of Donald Trump and Idaho Republicans’ refusal to extend the lifesaving ACA enhanced tax credits, thousands of families have dropped their health insurance after seeing their premiums skyrocket by an average of 114%, creating a health care crisis in Idaho.

While Republicans celebrate the coverage losses, Democrats are fighting to extend the credits — which the majority of Americans support — and ensure Idahoans are not priced out of their health care. According to new polling, two-thirds of Americans say Congress did the wrong thing by not extending enhanced ACA subsidies, including one-third of Trump’s coalition. Additionally, nearly 1 in 3 adults say they are “very worried” about affording their health care bills.

A reminder: Trump and Republicans also slashed $1 trillion from Medicaid, putting 3 rural hospitals at risk of closure in Idaho and ripping health care away from 37,000 Idahoans.

In response, Idaho Democratic Party Chair Lauren Necochea released the following statement:

“Sixteen years ago, Democrats enacted the Affordable Care Act. It protected people with preexisting conditions, let young people stay on their parents’ insurance until age 26, expanded Medicaid for people with low incomes and no other coverage option, and created tax credits that helped small business owners, retirees, and others buy health insurance on their own. Sixteen years later, Republicans are still trying to roll back that progress and make health care more expensive and less accessible. In Washington, Donald Trump and Republicans refused to extend the ACA tax credits that help Idaho families afford coverage, driving up premiums and pushing people off their insurance. Here in Idaho, Republican lawmakers passed tax giveaways tilted to the wealthy, then turned around and cut Medicaid services while reviving efforts to repeal Medicaid expansion and rip coverage away from tens of thousands of Idahoans. Access to affordable health care determines whether your child receives needed therapies, whether your family can pay the bills, and whether your local hospital keeps its doors open. Idaho Democrats know health care is not a political football, it’s personal. We will keep fighting to lower costs, protect coverage, and stop Republicans from making working families pay the price for their bad decisions.”

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