Americans will pay a lot more for health insurance next year according to analysis from KFF, a nonpartisan health policy research group. Those who buy insurance through the Affordable Care Act will see premiums rise an average of 75%. This includes millions of Americans who don’t have employer-sponsored insurance and don’t qualify for Medicaid or Medicare.

Insurance companies attribute the price hikes to the end of government subsidies, which helped drive the uninsured rate to a historical low. Higher costs will lead many healthy people to take their chances and go without insurance. That’s bad news for the rest of us. Those left in the insurance pool will be sicker and more expensive, leading to further premium hikes for everyone.

There’s a simple solution: Congress could extend those subsidies–except that Republicans claim those subsidies are an unfair burden on taxpayers.

So, Republicans don’t mind taxpayer-supported subsidies for private jet owners, but think it’s okay for millions of Americans to lose their health insurance? The budget legislation they just passed allows jet owners to immediately deduct the full purchase price of aircraft, which will result in $378 billion in LOST government revenue over 10 years. The cut to healthcare subsidies will result in more costly medical problems, earlier deaths, and higher premiums for everyone.

Speaking of jets, Republicans just voted to let Trump keep the “gifted” Qatari jet after leaving office–and a taxpayer-funded $1 billion retrofit!

What kind of country are we?

ED SATALIA

State College

Submitted by Virtual Newsroom