As the government shutdown enters its 21st day with no resolution in sight, Senator Mark Kelly highlighted the impact on families through a conversation with Eric, a small business owner facing uncertainty about his health insurance costs.
Kelly shared the conversation on X, which included Eric discussing "the ACA tax credits expiring and what he'll do if his premiums doubled." "He told me flat out: He would've never been able to start a business with payments like that. That's why we have to fix this – now," Kelly shared.
Eric and his wife currently pay $450 per month for their Affordable Care Act (ACA) coverage. However, with tax credits set to expire, Kelly estimates their costs could double or triple without congressional action.
"I would have never been able to start a business," Eric explained when discussing what higher premiums would have meant earlier. "And those are huge hurdles for small businesses now starting out."
Potential Timeline
When Kelly asked what Eric plans to do if the subsidy disappears, the business owner expressed frustration with the timeline.
"I don't think I am going to end up going to work for someone else, but it's certainly going to be a huge financial burden, and then you're opening yourself up for one small thing can lead to bankruptcy," Eric said.
He emphasized the uncertainty facing families like his, explaining that “it's not perfect but, certainly it's a safety net. And it's not something that, they keep saying that it could be covered in December. But by that point, we've got to make our decisions as to what we're doing for our health care for next year."
The shutdown persists as no party has come to a consensus and Democrats are prioritizing health insurance benefits as a non-negotiable condition for any continuing resolution.
For business-owners like Eric, the political standoff means making critical healthcare decisions without knowing what support will be available.
