Rep. Randall Slams Speaker Johnson Over Inaction to Solve Republican-Created Health Care Crisis

WASHINGTON DC -- Today, U.S. Representative Emily Randall (D, WA-06) spoke on the House floor to raise the alarm on the Republican-created health care crisis. At the end of the month, the Affordable Care Act Enhanced Premium Tax Credits will officially expire, leaving 24 million Americans who currently purchase health care on the exchange to face skyrocketing monthly premiums.

A full transcript of Rep. Randall's remarks are below, video HERE:

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I come to the floor today to raise the alarm on the Republican health care crisis. Speaker Johnson shut the government down for 43 days and kept the House out of session, effectively running out the clock to find solutions to address the health care affordability crisis created by my Republican colleagues. And now we have just 11 session days left before recessing for the holidays.

"And my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have offered zero solutions. At the end of the month, the Affordable Care Act enhanced Premium tax credits will officially expire, leaving 24 million Americans who currently purchase health care on the exchange in an unimaginable position.

"While Mike Johnson may be sleeping soundly and enjoying the holidays with his family, millions of Americans will be up at night worrying about how they are going to pay for health insurance -- on top of the affordability crisis the Trump administration created with reckless policies.

"My family knows what this feels like. My sister Olivia was born with microcephaly, which means her brain was small and the doctors didn't know why. And even with insurance provided by my dad's civilian job at the Department of Defense, Olivia wouldn't have gotten the care that she needed to live for 19 years as healthy as possible if it weren't for the Washington State Legislature expanding Medicaid the year she was born.

"And my family would have faced dire choices about which bills not to pay in order to meet Olivia's needs if it weren't for Medicaid access. Would we give up heating, groceries, school lunches?

"Neighbors of mine in Washington's 6th are already sick to their stomachs looking at their monthly costs.

"For example, a couple in Clallam County, ages 60 and 55, with a household income of $85,000, for them -- the least expensive plan available would jump from $127 a month to $1,485 per month. That's a 1,062% increase.

"That same couple in Kitsap County, where I grew up, would go from paying $56 to almost $1,500 a month under the least expensive plan.

"That's an annual insurance bill of $24,000, without even having to go to the doctor for a medical emergency or routine health care.

"I recently heard from a neighbor in Port Townsend who said, "My husband is retiring in a few weeks," she retired years ago, "so although we currently have a good benefits package through his work, we will be on our own for coverage soon. Only yesterday we learned of the substantial increase through Health Plan Finder. We have now determined that the best way to cover our upcoming health care costs will be for me to take my Social Security early."

"She says, 'It's upsetting to me that my Social Security will not be used for other living expenses -- or be as much per month as it would have if I could hold off on taking it for a few more years.'

"She's worried in her last line about not being able to use her Social Security for other living expenses, because she's going to have to use all of it for health care coverage.

"Under this administration, costs are up across the board. Groceries are more expensive. Housing is more expensive. Childcare is more expensive. Gas prices are soaring. Today, the average price for a gallon of gas in Washington state is over $4, one of the highest in the nation.

"Health care costs are only one aspect of why millions of Americans are needlessly suffering under this administration. We don't have to keep living like this.

"It's time for my colleagues to get serious about solving the ACA tax credits -- as serious as they were about extending tax breaks for billionaires in July -- and get back to delivering on their promise to lower costs for Americans, which Trump promised to do on day one of his administration.

"Mr. Speaker, I yield back."

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