Summary
People in the U.S. are expecting higher healthcare costs because government help to lower these costs is ending. A Texas family is starting the new year without health insurance because their monthly payments went from $630 to $2,400. Many people are in a similar situation, as Congress has not agreed on a plan to continue this financial assistance.
Key Facts
- A Texas mother's health insurance payment jumped from $630 to $2,400 a month starting in 2026.
- Her husband's medicine costs $70,000 monthly without insurance, so the family kept extra supplies to last a few months.
- Many Americans are facing higher healthcare costs as financial help from the Affordable Care Act (ACA) ends.
- About 24 million people buy health insurance through ACA, which offered tax credits or subsidies to help pay for it.
- These subsidies began with the ACA in 2014 and were increased during COVID-19.
- Congress has not agreed on a plan to extend the subsidies, leading to the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
- Without subsidies, healthcare costs could rise by an average of 114%.
- Some Americans find it cheaper to pay a fine for not having insurance than to pay for expensive health plans.
