While Democrats Work to Keep Our Government Open, the GOP Remains Absent and Continues to Raise the Cost of HealthcarePress ReleaseTradeJobs and the EconomyHealth CareEnergy

Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) issued the following statement as the government faces a Republican-led shutdown:

"Tonight, the government is on the verge of shutting down. This week I have been in Washington, at work, doing my job, fighting to keep the government open and protectingthe healthcare of those in Northwest Ohio and across our nation. But my Republican colleagues are nowhere to be found. At the very moment families need stability and solutions, the GOP has literally walked out, leaving working people, seniors, and children to pay the price.

"Republicans are refusing to even negotiate on a healthcare fix that must be addressed before Open Enrollment begins on November 1st. If Congress fails to renew the Enhanced ACA Premium Tax Credits - a lifeline for 21 Million Americans - 500,000 Ohioans will lose their quality, affordable healthcare. These credits save families an average of $6,596 per year. Without them, 5 Million people will lose coverage entirely, and everyone with insurance, even those not on the Marketplace, will face higher costs as insurers reprice their plans. Major insurers have already warned it will hike premiums, and estimates show that private insurance rates will rise by at least 4% nationwide.

"For families here in Northwest Ohio, the consequences will be devastating. In Ohio's 9th District, 29,000 of my neighbors who rely on these tax credits to make health coverage affordable will be left in the dark. If Republicans fail to act, a family of four in our district earning $64,000 will see their annual premiums increase 217%, costing them an additional $2,571. A 60-year-old couple earning $82,000 will see premiums soar 226%. A staggering $15,292 more per year!

"At the same time, hospitals across Ohio are strained under the weight of Medicaid cuts and rising costs. Communities are already losing hospital services, and rural providers across our state are at risk of closure. In Northwest Ohio, these hospitals provide critical for care patients and are major employers in their community. Closures would devastate both community health and local economies.

"People are scared. They are paying more at the grocery store, at the gas pump, and at the pharmacy. Now, Republicans are pushing our healthcare system toward chaos, threatening families with impossible costs, and leaving children and seniors without coverage. Healthcare is a human right, and instead of protecting it, the GOP majority is inflicting pain on those they represent.

"This is a crisis entirely of their own making. Republicans control the House, the Senate, and the White House. They could have worked with us for months to avoid this cliff. Instead, they chose to stall, to skip town, and to point fingers while our families brace for higher bills.

"If our government shuts down tonight, it will be because the Republican Majority abandoned their duty to the American people. I came to Washington to fight for the people of Northwest Ohio, to keep the government open, lower healthcare costs, and ensure that no family loses the care they depend on. I am ready and willing to meet at the table to find the 'Big Middle' and keep government open."