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The Republican Premium Spike is Here – Nearly 2 Million See Eye-Popping Covered California Cost Increases as California Republicans Hold Subsidies Hostage to Protect Huge Tax Breaks for Billionaires – Making Health Care Unaffordable for Residents of CA-22, CA-40, Entire State

California Republican Congressmembers David Valadao and Young Kim Have Vowed to Protect Our Health But Refuse to Come to the Table and Negotiate to End the Shutdown and Lower Our Costs

Constituents in Rep. Valadao’s District (CA-22) Hold Protest Demanding Valadao Stop Protecting Rich CEOs and Vote to Make Health Care More Affordable

Sacramento, CA – Covered California enrollees will face serious sticker shock when signing up for health coverage during open enrollment, which begins on Saturday. Nearly 2 million consumers will see their health insurance premiums double – or even triple –  compared to last year. These cost spikes are a direct result of Republican efforts to strip away access to affordable care for working families, children, middle-income Californians, and small business owners.

Skyrocketing premiums are the direct result of votes by Congressional Republicans – including Reps. David Valadao (CA-22) and Young Kim (CA-40) from California – to hold key health care subsidies hostage as Americans and federal workers endure a 30 day government shutdown with no end in sight. These subsidies help cover the cost of providing health insurance to underinsured communities through Covered California – the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace.

Human Impact of Congressional Republicans’ Devastating Health Care Cuts

While falsely claiming to care about how much their constituents are paying for health care – even calling skyrocketing costs a “crisis” in a recent letter – California Republicans are refusing to restore the subsidies that will ease the health care cost burden on residents.

The real life impact is devestating. Some will see their annual premium costs increase by thousands of dollars next year, forcing families to make difficult choices between paying their rent, putting food on the table, or affording health care coverage. As many as 400,000 Californians will be priced out of care all together.

In Rep. David Valadao’s District (CA-22):

In Rep. Young Kim’s District (CA-40): 

“Congress members David Valadao and Young Kim could end this shutdown TODAY and lower our health care costs – but so far have refused to do so,” said Amanda McAllister-Wallner, Executive Director, Health Access California. “Their inaction means millions of people logging into Covered California this weekend will see their premiums go up thousands of dollars, eating into family budgets that are already stretched thin. Reps. David Valadao and Young Kim, along with other California Republicans, are playing a dangerous game not just with peoples’ bank accounts, but with their health and the lives of their loved ones. Instead of delivering relief, they are doubling down on hardship, and Californians will remember who stood in the way of affordable care.”

“Congressman Valadao voted to eliminate health care coverage for his constituents, now he is refusing to help families keep the care they need as health care costs skyrocket because of the shutdown,” said Lorena Gonzalez, President of California Federation of Labor Unions, AFL-CIO. “Kern County deserves a representative who will fight for affordable healthcare, not shut down the entire government to avoid accountability.” 

“Orange County families work hard everyday to put food on the table and make every dollar go as far as possible just to make ends meet,” said Jonathan Paik, Executive Director, Orange County Action. “Despite our best efforts to care for ourselves and our families, Rep. Young Kim and Republicans in Congress have decided that political games are more important than keeping our costs down. Young people, heads of families, and our elders are about to bear the cost of a runaway healthcare market that could be solved by opening the government and restoring the Affordable Care Act subsidies.”

“Working people shouldn’t have to pay the price for politicians’ refusal to do their jobs. Because of this shutdown, more than 1.6 million Californians – including patients I care for – will see their health costs skyrocket while House Republicans protect tax breaks for rich CEOs and giant corporations,” said Seema Kanani, a Medical Social Worker in Milpitas, California. “Our health care isn’t a bargaining chip. SEIU members are calling voters and knocking on their doors urging a YES vote on Prop 50 because members of Congress should answer to the voters in their districts – not to Trump or his rich Mar-a-Lago friends who couldn’t care less about whether or not working families can afford to see a doctor.”

“The sticker shock Californians will feel when they shop for their Covered California health plan this year isn’t an accident – it’s the direct result of choices made by the representatives they sent to solve problems, not create bigger ones,” said Kiran Savage-Sangwan, Executive Director, California Pan-Ethnic Health Network (CPEHN). “Instead of keeping health care affordable for families and small business owners, Reps. Valadao and Kim voted for a government shutdown and left working people to pick up the tab. There is only one path forward for California Republicans interested in getting serious about ending the health care affordability crisis: stop the political games, end the shutdown, and finally make good on your promise to take care of the people they represent.”

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