Wyden, Schumer, Senate Democrats Call on Trump to Stop Hiding Premium Increases from American Families

Wyden, Schumer, Senate Democrats Call on Trump to Stop Hiding Premium Increases from American Families

Less Than a Week Before Open Enrollment, Americans in More Than Half the Country Are in the Dark About Imminent Premium Spikes for Their Health Care

Trump Administration Has Not Opened "Window Shopping" Despite the Massive Increases Facing Millions, Price Previews Previously Available by Now for the Past Eight Years

Text of the Letter (PDF)

Washington, D.C. - Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., led 28 senators in a letter calling on the Trump Administration to immediately open "window-shopping" for Americans that use Healthcare.gov to purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act Marketplaces, just days ahead open enrollment.

"Now more than ever, working families need to understand the consequences of Republicans' choice to hand historic tax cuts to billionaires and wealthy corporations while leaving people who buy their own health insurance to fend for themselves," the senators wrote. "Window-shopping is more important than ever before; the 24 million people who buy insurance on the ACA Marketplace need as much time and information as possible to understand and prepare for these significant premium increases."

The letter, sent to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Mehmet Oz, notes that in each of the past eight years, Americans have been able to preview their health insurance options by October 25 or 26. Any further delay means Americans will be in for sticker shock when they log on to renew or purchase a plan. Additionally, many Americans have not received notices from their insurance companies disclosing how much more they will have to pay if Republicans don't join Democrats to extend the ACA tax credits.

"CMS also allowed insurance plans to delay sending information to their enrollees. Many insurance companies have taken advantage of this so-called flexibility, leaving their enrollees in the dark. Millions of Americans have still not received any information from their insurance plan, or from CMS, about the biggest premium hike in history," the senators continued.

The letter was also signed by Senators Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.; Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del.; Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.; Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.; Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.; Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.; Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md.; Cory Booker, D-N.J.; Adam Schiff, D-Calif.; Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.; Jacky Rosen, D-Nev.; Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich.; Jeff Merkley, D-Ore.; Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.; Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii; Peter Welch, D-Vt.; Andy Kim, D-N.J.; Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.; Dick Durbin, D-Ill.; Gary Peters, D-Mich.; Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz.; Ed Markey, D-Mass.; Jack Reed, D-R.I.; Alex Padilla, D-Calif.; Patty Murray, D-Wash.; Tina Smith, D-Minn; Raphael Warnock, D-Ga.; and Angus King, I-Maine.

The full text of the letter is here.