On Thursday’s broadcast of “CNN News Central,” Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) stated that we “need” healthcare “subsidies right now.” But extending them for a year as part of a deal to re-open the government is “not acceptable to us.”
Co-host Sara Sidner asked, “Would you agree to a one-year extension of subsidies so that the government can be funded?”
Garcia responded, “We need to have those subsidies right now. Look, the reason why Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) and some Republicans want a one-year extension is because they want to get past the 2026 midterms. People need to understand that, right now, at this very moment, people’s healthcare premiums are going to, in some cases, double. People can’t afford the cost of health care already. And Donald Trump promised he’s going to lower the cost of your groceries. That hasn’t happened. He’s going to lower the cost of housing and of rent. That hasn’t happened. And now folks are going to get serious increases to their costs for their health care. Some folks have already been told this through letters and through their own carriers or insurance carriers contacting them. And that’s going to occur over the next few weeks. And so, this idea, at this moment, that we’re going to essentially allow healthcare premiums to go up is absolutely wrong. That’s why we’re in this fight. That’s why we’re saying, absolutely not, let’s lower the cost of health care and let’s stop giving more huge tax breaks to billionaires in this country.”
Sidner followed up, “Right. So, Congressman, there is an offer on the table, Lawler saying, it’s a one-year extension that Republicans would agree to if Democrats agree to fund the government, to vote to fund the government. Is that acceptable to you?”
Garcia answered, “That’s not acceptable to us. And the reason is because what that essentially does is it kicks the can down the road so that then those premiums can essentially get hiked a year from now. We need to handle, right now, the cost of health care for the average American, which is about to skyrocket and go up. And so, that’s why we’re in this fight at this moment. And what we don’t understand is why Republicans want to allow healthcare costs to skyrocket, in some cases double for the average American that’s right now on health care. They’ve already damaged our Medicaid system, as we already know. 17 million Americans, because of the last tax law that was passed by President Trump, 17 million Americans could have their Medicaid impacted across this country. Now, they don’t want to do anything about saving and strengthening the Affordable Care Act. And so, what we’re saying is, enough, let’s actually bring healthcare costs down, and let’s stop giving tax breaks to billionaires.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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