REPUBLICAN SHUTDOWN DAY 2: Senator Murray, WA Hospital Leaders Lay Out How the Republican Health Care Crisis is Defunding Hospitals, Forcing Premiums to Skyrocket, Kicking[...]

NEW FROM KFF: ACA Marketplace Premium Payments Would More than Double on Average Next Year if Republicans Refuse to Join Democrats to Save Enhanced Premium Tax Credits

NEW FROM WASHINGTON POST: More Americans blame Trump and Republicans than Democrats for Shutdown

ICYMI: Senator Murray Joins WA State Insurance Commissioner, WA Small Business Owner Who Relies on ACA Tax Credits to Drive Home Why Democrats are Fighting to Prevent Health Care Costs from Skyrocketing

***WATCH full press conference HERE; DOWNLOAD HERE***

Washington, D.C. - Today,U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, held a virtual press conference on how Democrats are fighting to reverse Republicans' catastrophic health care cuts and save critical Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits that hard working families in Washington state and across the country rely on to be able to afford health insurance. Joining Senator Murray for the press conference were Dr. David Zonies, Chief Medical Officer at Harborview Medical Center/University of Washington School of Medicine and Dr. Ettore Palazzo, CEO of EvergreenHealth.

At the press conference, Senator Murray and Washington state health care leaders slammed Republicans for refusing to come to the table to negotiate a deal to address the Republican health care crisis and save the ACA tax credits, jeopardizing health care coverage for millions of people and putting Washington state's entire health care system at risk. Senator Murray has been speaking out nonstop about the urgent need to save health care and keep the government open, and calling on Republicans to come to the negotiating table to work out a bipartisan deal -which they have so far refused to do. As the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Murray leads legislation supported by the Democratic caucus that would reopen the government, address the health care crisis, and protect Congress' power of the purse from Donald Trump and Russ Vought's nonstop, lawless efforts to block funding from reaching communities across the country.

Washington state is among the states hit hardest by Republicans' Medicaid cuts- about 350,000 people who rely on Apple Health are estimated to lose coverage because of the cuts, and hospitals in Washington state could lose $662 million in Medicaid revenue every year, forcing them to lay off staff, cut services, or close their doors entirely. Overall, Washington state is expected to lose between $28 billion and $46 billion in federal Medicaid dollars over the next decade. In addition, for months, Republicans have refused to extend the ACA enhanced premium tax credits, and if they are left to expire, 22 million Americans across the country-including more than 216,000 people in Washington state-will see their health care costs and premiums skyrocket. Premiums will more than double for Americans who buy health care through the ACA exchanges, and these higher costs will push 4.2 million people off their health coverage over the next decade-including an estimated 80,000 people in Washington state, where health insurers have been approved for an average rate hike of 21 percent. A fact sheet on what the expiration of the ACA tax credits would mean for people in Washington state is HERE.

"Republicans can shut down the government, but they cannot shut down debate, and they can't shut out the voices of people across the country who have been staring down the health care crisis Republicans can't bear to look at. That is why we are here today. We are going to talk about what Republicans want us to ignore, because here is what is happening right now, health care premiums are being set for next year. And because Republicans have refused to act to extend critical ACA tax credits, they are being set higher than ever," said Senator Murray. "Families are going to start getting some eye-popping announcements in the mail about their health care rates this month. We are talking about the highest premium increases in years, and Republicans think they can ignore this? Here in Washington state, nearly a quarter of a million people rely on the tax credits Republicans are killing. On average, these families save $1,300 dollars a year. And it's worth noting, Republican areas in our state have some of the highest rates of people relying on these tax credits. So, Republicans are shutting down the government because they don't want to help their own constituents. Think about that."

Senator Murray played a critical role in passing the enhanced premium tax credits in the American Rescue Plan in 2021 and extending them in the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, and she has been fighting for months to make sure these important health care tax credits don't expire, including cosponsoring multiple pieces of legislation-the Health Care Affordability Act and the Protecting Health Care and Lowering Costs Act-that would make them permanent.

"The expiration of the ACA premium tax credits will have significantly negative impacts on our public hospital system and on all the providers that are caring for our patients. Most importantly, I, as a clinician, am very concerned about the clinical impact it's going to have, and the direct impacts it will have to our patients, their ability to access care, the stability of our health care system across our state to continue to care for all of them," said Dr. David Zonies, Chief Medical Officer at Harborview Medical Center/University of Washington School of Medicine. "The financial hardship that is a result from these higher [premiums,] or in many cases loss of coverage altogether, will often force our patients to ration or forgo essential medical care, which will ultimately lead to worse health outcomes, and it increases the strain on our already stretched system. Our hospital in particular will face significant increases to uncompensated care because patients become more uninsured or underinsured because of the higher premium costs that they just can no longer afford. In addition to the loss of the tax credits at the end of this year, the major cuts to Medicaid will absolutely negatively impact patients that we treat at Harborview and really all safety nets. Harborview stands as Washington's leading safety net care hospital, 34% of our patients rely on Medicaid for their health care coverage, and another 5% of our patients are uninsured despite having a Medicaid availability… From a public health perspective, this is extremely concerning, because more and more people will be accessing the care they need in our emergency departments, which further strains our health care system's capacity and will limit access to other patients who also need those services. These significant increases in the premiums, the uncompensated care and the impending Medicaid cuts will put our ability to care for our safety net population in jeopardy. There's no doubt in my mind that this will worsen their health care outcomes and will make it far worse for those who can just no longer access the coverage and the care that they need."

"EvergreenHealth is a community-owned hospital, and since we opened our doors more than 50 years ago, we have been an advocate for ensuring everyone in our community has access to high-quality, affordable care close to home," said EvergreenHealth CEO Ettore Palazzo, MD, FACP. "The impending loss of the ACA enhanced premium tax credits would lead to a coverage gap for community members, causing them to defer care and experience worsening outcomes. The resulting uncompensated costs would also place a significant financial strain on hospitals and other health care providers throughout our region and across the entire country."

Senator Murray's remarks, as delivered on today's press call, are below:

"You know, Republicans want to talk about anything except the health care crisis they created. Republican leaders would literally rather shut down the government than talk about how we need to act to prevent health care premiums from more than doubling.

"Republicans do not want to talk about families getting priced out of their health care coverage, or skimping on prescriptions, or missing out on preventive care-or even lifesaving treatments. They do not want to talk about the families they chose to kick off Medicaid in their big ugly bill.

"And Republicans definitely do not want to talk about hospitals being pushed to the brink-even shutting their doors-because of cuts Republicans passed to pay for billionaire tax breaks.

"Well, you know what? Too bad.

"Republicans can shut down the government, but they cannot shut down debate, and they can't shut out the voices of people across the country who have been staring down the health care crisis Republicans can't bear to look at.

"That is why we are here today. We are going to talk about what Republicans want us to ignore, because here is what is happening, right now, health care premiums are being set for next year.

"And because Republicans have refused to act to extend critical ACA tax credits, they are being set higher than ever.

"Families are going to start getting some eye-popping announcements in the mail about their health care rates this month. We are talking about the highest premium increases in years, and Republicans think they can ignore this?

"Here in Washington state, nearly a quarter of a million people rely on the tax credits Republicans are killing. On average, these families save $1,300 dollars a year. And it's worth noting, Republican areas in our state have some of the highest rates of people relying on these tax credits.

"So, Republicans are shutting down the government because they don't want to help their own constituents. Think about that.

"And let's not forget farmers: a quarter of them are covered on the exchanges.

"Let's not forget small business owners, and workers, and people who are self-employed, who account for nearly half of the people on the exchanges.

"But Republicans have refused, for months, to talk about saving these families from massive health care price hikes. They actually voted down our efforts to fix this problem three times earlier this year.

"Instead, they passed a bill that gutted Medicaid, kicked even more people off their coverage, and shuttered hospitals across the country. It's so absurd, I almost get why Republicans are desperate not to talk about how much damage they have done.

"But families facing higher health care bills don't just get to ignore their new premium. Patients who have a prescription to fill don't just get to stick their heads in the sand. And hospitals that are now pushed to the brink can't keep their doors open by ignoring the problems Republicans created.

"Working families, small business owners, rural hospitals: they all have to face the reality of this Republicans health care crisis.

"So as long as I have a spotlight, I am going to keep it on the issues Republicans are trying to ignore. As long as I have a platform, I am going to amplify the voices Republicans are trying to drown out.

"And I'm very pleased today to have with me today some folks here in Washington state who are on the front lines of the health care crisis. I am going to make sure their voices are heard in Congress, and I am going to keep fighting to get them the help it is so clear our communities need.

"Republicans may have chosen to shut down hospitals. And when we demanded they fix it, they may have chosen to shut down the government, but we are not going to let up.

"We are still at the table, and we are going to stay there until Republicans work with us to reopen the government, fix this crisis they've created at our hospitals, and stop health care costs from going through the roof."

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