Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) today released the following statement after the White House made a sudden announcement that it would end critical healthcare payments currently helping families get access to quality, affordable health insurance:

“The President’s announcement that he will end assistance for Americans cannot be squared with his and congressional Republicans’ claims that they care about working families. The President is playing politics with matters of life and death, and every Republican who stands silent is complicit in this latest act of callous indifference to individuals across the country who will now be left out in the cold,” DelBene said. “I have always been ready and willing to work with my colleagues to stabilize the individual marketplace and bring down healthcare costs for individuals and families. The President should allow the bipartisan work of my fellow Washingtonian, Sen. Patty Murray, and Sen. Lamar Alexander to continue so we improve our healthcare system rather than head down this perilous path.”

On Thursday evening, followed by President Trump’s twitter posts, the White House announced it intends to end cost-sharing reduction payments required by the Affordable Care Act. These subsidies have reduced out-of-pocket costs for families receiving care through the exchange. According to the non-partisan CBO, without them, healthcare premiums will spike by 20 percent or more, the federal deficit will increase and some insurers will simply exit the market.

DelBene has repeatedly called for bipartisan solutions to stabilize and improve U.S. healthcare markets. She serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over healthcare, and she opposed Republican efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

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