Thousands of Nebraskans' subsidies for the Affordable Care Act are set to expire on December 31st. Audrey Horn said she's going to pay hundreds more every month for the same healthcare she's had since 2019. She tells KMTV reporter Hannah McIlree she needs insurance to help keep her husband alive, who has Type 2 diabetes, amongst other health problems.
"I'm, you know, trying to keep him alive," Horn said.
Families like Horn's are already penny-pinching in a tough economy, saving extra money as she says their healthcare costs soar. Their bronze plan jumped 40% to $2,400 a month.
"I'm still stressed knowing how much it's gonna be, so we, we know it's gonna be several hundred more dollars than it was last year so I'm prepared to pay several hundred more, um, and we'll figure out a way to pay it," Horn said.
The couple has already spent $10,000 out of pocket this year on medical bills and prescriptions.
The Democratic bill would have extended enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, but failed to pass. A Republican alternative that would let the subsidies expire and boost health savings accounts also failed.
Horn says she's worried other people who need help paying for healthcare will become discouraged and not seek help.
"I'm more concerned about the other Americans that are living paycheck to paycheck but don't have an extra several hundred dollars a month to pay out just to have insurance," Horn said.
Horn says she is extremely disappointed in Thursday's outcome.
"I never feel that they're listening to the voters, um, I feel that they're listening to their party and what their party is telling them to vote for and not what their constituents really want," Horn said.
Nebraska's senators Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts justified their opposition to extending the subsidies, with Fischer stating continuing them "without reform is unacceptable" and Ricketts arguing against what he called the Democrats' plan of "throwing more money at a broken system."
Though the Senate wasn't able to find a solution, Congress can still propose their own bill, but Congress has not set a timeline for extending the current subsidies.
Horn is urging lawmakers to extend the subsidies.
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