MONTICELLO, FL — The end of the federal shutdown brought relief for many, but it also renewed uncertainty for North Florida families relying on Affordable Care Act subsidies to keep their healthcare affordable.
- The government is officially reopened and the focus has shifted back to the future of ACA premium subsidies.
- The signing of the new federal spending bill raises new questions about what it means for families in North Florida who rely on the Affordable Care Act.
- Watch the video below to hear from a neighbor directly affected by the loss of ACA subsidies.
Federal spending bill leaves future of ACA subsidies uncertain for North Florida families
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
“Our last trip to the ER was about $12,000 for me,” said neighbor Ashley Cowan.
The House approved the bill earlier in the week, and once the bill reached the president, it was signed Wednesday night, ending the shutdown.
What the measure did not do is settle the future of the enhanced ACA subsidies that help millions of Americans afford their coverage.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, more than 24 million people nationwide are enrolled in the marketplace this year, and Florida leads the nation in ACA enrollment.
Cowan and her husband are self-employed, and they have seen sharp increases in their monthly premiums for ACA coverage. She says they have had to make some tough choices, like finding a self-pay provider to protect their family of four.
“It's unsettling to know that our numbers have quadrupled almost in what we would have to pay per month, just to simply have healthcare,” Cowan said.
As Congress weighs its next move, experts like FSU economics professor Dr. Randall Holcombe say they are watching closely.
“Those subsidies were temporarily put in place during COVID because people were forced out of their jobs which was deliberately made to be temporary until the COVID crisis has passed,” Holcombe said.
Here in Jefferson County, a KFF analysis shows that with subsidies in place, the benchmark silver plan is capped by income.
Without subsidies, families are charged the full age-rated premium.
Here is the projected comparison:
For a single adult earning about $35,000 a year, the cost of the benchmark silver plan stays nearly the same across age groups because the subsidy fills the gap between income and the actual premium.
With subsidies in place, adults age 30, 50, 60 and even 70 all pay about $120 to $125 a month.
Without the enhanced credits, families are responsible for the full premium, and that cost rises steeply with age.
“At this point we're gonna watch and see you know what comes out with the government and see if they change or make anything more accessible,” Cowan said.
Now that the shutdown has ended, the next decision is in the hands of Congress. If lawmakers extend the enhanced credits, premiums remain stable next year. If they do not, families could see major changes in what they pay each month.
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