What They’re Watching: Mainers Share Personal Stories of How Skyrocketing Insurance Rates Will Impact Their Lives & Health

Mainers continue to sound the alarm over skyrocketing insurance rates thanks to Collins' inaction

Augusta, Maine - Impacted Mainers continue to sound the alarm about the hardship they'll face due to the skyrocketing insurance rates they're now seeing as the CoverME ACA marketplace's open enrollment period begins.

Despite months of warnings from Mainers about the impact of rising costs and Maine state officials warning action had to be taken before September 30th, Susan Collins "has yet to sponsor" any legislation to extend the tax credits. She has instead voted numerous times against a bill that would protect more than 50,000 Mainers who are at risk of seeing their insurance premiums "double, triple or even quadruple" when enhanced premium ACA tax credits expire.

See what Mainers are saying and watching:

WMTW:

Transcript:

• WMTW: Premiums for the Affordable Care Act, or ACA plans, are expected to skyrocket next year. And now open enrollment begins tomorrow. And enhanced ACA tax credits are also set to expire, and the debate over extending them is right at the center of this government shutdown. So today, political reporter Cate McCusker spoke with a Mainer about the impact this would have on her wallet and her health.

• Mainer Kristin Fuhrmann-Simmons: While I was in a road race in 2017, I lost vision in my right eye and mobility on the right side of my body. And I thought that I just had fatigue, I thought maybe I had a fever. And it turned out that I was diagnosed with multiple demyelinating lesions in my brain. And increased brain pressure.

• WMTW: Kennebunkport resident Kristin Fuhrmann-Simmons is on an ACA health care plan, which she says is crucial to help her and her family afford the care for her multiple sclerosis.

• Mainer Kristin Fuhrmann-Simmons: Each year I have to go for an MRI. I also have to go for spinal taps. The nature of my demyelinating lesions are such that it causes a backup of cerebral spinal fluid in my head and my spine, and then I have to take a litany of supplements as well as go for IV therapy to put back things like iron and essential minerals.

• WMTW: But with the enhanced tax credits set to expire, she worries about her ability to pay for that costly treatment.

• Mainer Kristin Fuhrmann-Simmons: Without those tax credits, our monthly premium would be $2000 a month. With those enhanced tax credits, we pay $11 a month for our health care premium.

• WMTW: If the government does not continue the subsidies, Fuhrmann-Simmons says she will be faced with some tough decisions.

• Mainer Kristin Fuhrmann-Simmons: We live very tightly. We have an exacting budget. If I have to say, I'm going skip my spinal tap, then I have to look at is that pressure going to go up? Is the demyelinating lesion in my eye going to degrade so that my vision disappears in my right eye?

• WMTW: Bracing for the numbers, you will see when open enrollment begins, Fuhrmann-Simmons is hopeful politicians can reach an agreement.

• Mainer Kristin Fuhrmann-Simmons: I'm hopeful that something will be resolved because I do know that this, the issue of both, not only chronic disease, but also access to health care for many people who are self-employed, is something that affects people across the aisle.

See more: What Mainers are Saying About Rising Insurance Premiums: "I am Scared," "What Are We Going to Do," People "Are Going to Die"; What Mainers are Saying: Rising Insurance Premiums are "Catastrophic"; ICYMI: "Mainers to Collins: Prioritize Our Health, Renew ACA Tax Credits"; ICYMI: Impacted Mainers Discuss Skyrocketing Insurance Rates As Collins Refuses to Protect Mainers' Health Care; While Mainers Face Health Care Cliff, Collins Gets MAGA Swag Bag at Trump "Unity" Lunch What They're Saying: Maine Democrats, Advocates Criticize Collins, "Warn [of] Health Care Increases" [Maine Morning Star]; ICYMI: Maine Dems, Health Care Leaders Call Out Collins for Failing To Protect Mainers' Health Care; What Mainers are Watching and Reading: Thanks to Collins, Mainers "Could See Their Premiums Skyrocket"; Maine Beacon: Susan Collins accepts thousands from insurers while health costs soar for Mainers

###