By Alan Jaffe and Lori Robertson
ANALYSIS — Democrats and Republicans have sparred over Democratic demands to address health care issues in a government funding bill, with the standoff leading to the first government shutdown since 2019. We’ll provide the facts on two talking points each side is using to blame the other for the shutdown.
- Democrats have repeatedly said that health care premiums will rise 75 percent without action from Republicans, a figure that needs context. That’s an estimate for the average increase in out-of-pocket costs for those getting Affordable Care Act subsidies to buy insurance — if enhanced subsidies expire at the end of this year as scheduled.
- Republican leaders have misleadingly said that Democrats “demand we fund health care for illegal aliens.” The Democrats have proposed restoring health care for “lawfully present” immigrants, but not for immigrants living in the country illegally, who are prohibited by law from receiving federally funded coverage.
