On The First Day Of A Republican-Led Government Shutdown, Gillibrand Discusses The Need For Negotiations To Lower Health Care Costs And Reopen The Government

On The First Day Of A Republican-Led Government Shutdown, Gillibrand Discusses The Need For Negotiations To Lower Health Care Costs And Reopen The Government

Oct 1, 2025

20 million Americans - including at least 1.6 million New Yorkers - will see a sudden increase in their health insurance costs if health care subsidies are not extended

Today, on the first day of a Republican-led government shutdown, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) held a virtual press conference to discuss the need for bipartisan negotiations to lower health care costs and reopen the government.

"20 million Americans are on the brink of seeing their premiums skyrocket. If we don't extend the health care assistance that families rely on, many Americans will have to make impossible choices: pay rent or see a doctor; put food on the table or buy their child's medication; keep their small business afloat or offer their employees health insurance," said Senator Gillibrand. "This is a Republican-manufactured health care crisis with potentially life-threatening consequences. Democrats stand ready to work on a bipartisan basis to keep health care costs low and reopen the government. I'm calling on my Republican colleagues to come to the negotiating table and prioritize American families over billionaires."

Without an extension, Affordable Care Act enhanced tax credits will expire at the end of 2025, causing 20 million Americans to see a sudden increase in their health insurance costs. This includes at least 1.6 million New Yorkers, who will face an average yearly increase of $1,360 in the amount they pay for their premiums. New York can expect to see significant increases in the uninsured rate if these subsidies expire. Gillibrand emphasized that a path forward to address this looming health care crisis must be at the center of any agreement to end the shutdown.

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