Michiganders Are Losing Affordable Care Act Coverage As Premiums Soar

A federal report released Friday found that there was a 13% decline, or  a drop of about 3 million people, in Affordable Care Act enrollment in the last year. The enrollment decline comes after Republicans in Congress, including Representatives John James (MI-10), Bill Huizenga (MI-04), and Tom Barrett (MI-07), refused to prevent health insurance costs from increasing by letting the health care tax credits expire in December. In January, all three representatives voted against restoring the Affordable Care Act tax credits.

The tax credits had lowered monthly premium costs for millions of Americans. But with the expiration of the credits, Affordable Care Act recipients have seen double- to triple-digit premium increases. In Michigan, over 500,000 people depend on the Affordable Care Act to receive low-cost health care coverage. 

“Since my Congressman Tom Barrett let these health care tax credits expire, my premiums have gone up,” said Diane, an MI-07 resident who is an ACA enrollee. “With the cost of gas and groceries already being so high, the last thing I needed was for another monthly payment to go up. My budget is already stretched so thin, and Congressman Barrett hasn’t done anything to help me and other constituents more easily afford our health care.” 

Health care experts believe that enrollment in the ACA will only keep dropping, leaving more families without affordable coverage. And, as the one-year anniversary of the Republican Tax Law approaches, even more Michiganders, including people with serious illnesses, are at risk of losing Medicaid coverage. Michigan Families for Fair Care will continue to call on Representatives Huizenga, James, and Barrett to take immediate action to restore health care tax credits and reverse their historic cuts to Medicaid.