Oregon’s U.S. Senators were in Eugene Monday to talk about funding for Affordable Care Act health insurance subsidies.
Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley spoke at a press conference at the Lane County Health & Human Services building. They said Oregonians who buy their insurance through the A.C.A. marketplace will pay 68% more on average when new rates come out later this week.
Merkley said increases will likely hit the entire health insurance market as well.
“We’re expecting a projected 10% average increase across the state on people just buying insurance directly from a provider,” he said.
Among those who joined the senators was Chris Bratton, a hairdresser who said he stands to lose a $1,000 a month tax subsidy that helps cover his family’s health insurance.
“If that doesn’t continue, our premiums will go from $700 to $1,700, not including any sort of inflation or rise in the price of the premium,” said Bratton.
Wyden said he thinks his Republican colleagues likely spent their days home hearing about upcoming insurance rate hikes, and he hopes that will help in negotiating a solution.
“That’s what we’re talking about, the chance to sit down, work something out in a bipartisan way. And there’s proof that we can do it,” he said.
Funding for Affordable Care Act subsidies have become a sticking point in the ongoing federal government shutdown, which began at the start of October.
