Summary
- Progressive group "Unrig Our Economy" launched ads criticizing the GOP.
- Ads accuse Republicans of raising healthcare costs and risking shutdown.
- GOP blamed for cutting Medicaid and giving tax breaks to billionaires.
In an ad campaign started Monday, a progressive economic advocacy group attacked congressional Republicans for "raising Americans' healthcare costs and threatening a government shutdown" in order to provide tax cuts to the wealthy.
Through Medicaid cuts, support for cost-raising tariffs, and the provision of enormous tax incentives to the ultrawealthy, the group claims that 14 Republican senators "repeatedly put the wants of billionaires over the needs of working families."
The ad’s narrator says:
“Republicans in Congress are threatening to shut down our government unless they get what they want—ending tax credits for healthcare and raising your insurance premiums. Now they’re willing to shut down the government for even higher costs for us, our neighbors, and our entire community.”
“By threatening to shut down the government unless they can allow healthcare tax credits to expire, they are putting millions of Americans at risk of paying even higher costs or losing healthcare entirely,”
Tal added.
“These ads urge Republicans in Congress to reverse course to actually protect Americans’ healthcare and avoid a government shutdown.”
Healthcare and consumer activists are cautioning that millions of Americans will either lose their insurance coverage or see their rates increase as the midnight deadline on Wednesday to prevent a shutdown rapidly draws near. That is precisely what GOP lawmakers want, according to some critics.
The White House Office of Management and Budget gave federal agencies instructions last week to get ready to lay off a large number of workers in the event that the government shuts down. Critics say OMB Director Russell Vought is using this directive as leverage against Senate Democrats who obstructed the passage of a short-term spending measure in the House.
Meanwhile, Democrats are trying to work together on a bipartisan package that would extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies that are about to expire at the end of this year.
How would a shutdown affect Medicaid and insurance costs?
Both programs fall under mandated spending, which means their funding is not directly impacted by a shutdown. Payments to providers usually continue, with beneficiaries not losing immediate access to coverage or benefits.
With many federal employees furloughed, some administrative functions associated with Medicaid and Medicare, such as processing new enrollments, claims reimbursements, and audits may be delayed. This could result in slower reimbursements to providers and delays with processing benefits.
If the federal ACA premium tax credits lapse due to the shutdown, along with congressional negotiations being stalled, many millions of Americans could eventually face significant premium costs for insurance or lose their eligibility for subsidies and end up paying higher out-of-pocket costs.