Republicans grapple with voter frustration over rising health care premiums

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: AP

Updated 2:53 PM EDT, October 27, 2025


WASHINGTON (AP) — The first caller on a telephone town hall with Maryland Rep. Andy Harris, leader of the House’s conservative Freedom Caucus, came ready with a question about the Affordable Care Act. Her cousin’s disabled son is at risk of losing the insurance he gained under that law, the caller said. “Now she’s looking at two or three times the premium that she’s been paying for the insurance,” said the woman, identified as Lisa from Harford County, Maryland. “I’d love for you to elucidate what the Republicans’ plan is for health insurance?”

Harris, a seven-term Republican, didn’t have a clear answer. “We think the solution is to try to do something to make sure all the premiums go down,” he said, predicting Congress would “probably negotiate some off-ramp” later. His uncertainty reflected a familiar Republican dilemma: Fifteen years after the Affordable Care Act was enacted, the party remains united in criticizing the law but divided on how to move forward.

That tension has come into sharp focus during the government shutdown as Democrats seize on rising premiums to pressure Republicans into extending expiring subsidies for the law, often referred to as Obamacare. President Donald Trump and GOP leaders say they’ll consider extending the enhanced tax credits that otherwise expire at year’s end — but only after Democrats vote to reopen the government. In the meantime, people enrolled in the plans are already being notified of hefty premium increases for 2026.

As town halls fill with frustrated voters and no clear Republican plan emerges, the issue appears to be gaining political strength heading into next year’s midterm elections. “Premiums are going up whether it gets extended or not,” said GOP Sen. Rick Scott. “Premiums are going up because health care costs are going up. Because Obamacare is a disaster.”

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/health-care-subsidies-obamacare-shutdown-e94d96a8a837a5f7f681dc6893872d3b

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

1. "probably negotiate some off-ramp" later.

Liar

[Wiz Imp]

5. Yep. And even if it were true, that does nobody any good now as their premiums

skyrocket by 100% or more. These people who need the subsidies will lose their health insurance completely very quickly. They need those subsidies restored immediately.

[paleotn]

2. They're not divided on how to move forward. They want to kill the ACA and go back to the bad old days.

[Skittles]

4. but they have.....CONCEPTS OF A PLAN!

[riversedge]

9. I believe Trump said that months ago. I do not even think trump or Repugs had concepts.

[Skittles]

10. they've been saying that for 15 years

their actual plan is NO PLAN, throw health care back to the wolves

[Skittles]

3. imagine grappling with the fact your kids may go hungry

FUCK repukes and their fake "christianity"

[pat_k]

6. Answer to "Obamacare is a disaster is." Yeah. We should have implemented universal health care then.

And now it is long past time. Subsidizing private insurance has only resulted in increased costs and soaring profits on the backs of Americans and increasingly complex rules that screw us over. It's time for single-payer universal health care.

It is insane that the wealthiest nation on the planet has failed to do what every other developed nation has done: provide its people with universal health care.

[Dem4life1970]

7. AP let me fix it for you...

AP wrote "His uncertainty reflected a familiar Republican dilemma: Fifteen years after the Affordable Care Act was enacted, the party remains united in criticizing the law but divided on how to move forward."

What they should've written:
"His uncertainty reflected a familiar Republican dilemma: Fifteen years after the Affordable Care Act was enacted, the party remains united in criticizing the law but THEY HAVE NO CLUE on how to move forward."

To sit here and try to pretend that the GOP has a Mike Johnson plan vs. a John Thune Plan vs a Jeffrey Epstein's best friend plan is a joke. They have NO PLANS. None. They want to tear down the ACA. Period. End of story. They don't care that they are hurting their own voters. They do not care. They are there for their 1% megadonors.

You're welcome.

[riversedge]

8. "The first caller on a telephone town hall .." Why not in person??

Somehow having only a telephone town hall does not seem like a town hall to me!!