Democrats are pushing hard to restore expanded subsidies for Obamacare, presenting the move as a lifeline for families facing higher premiums. But reality tells a different story.
Health insurance costs have risen far faster since the Affordable Care Act became law, and taxpayers are increasingly covering the gap. It’s not a side effect, but the design of Obamacare itself. Without constant subsidy renewals, the quasi-government-run insurance system risks collapse.
Government data show household spending on health insurance has surged, running about 38 percent above the pre-ACA trend by 2023. The promise of affordability has given way to higher costs, both in premiums and in the deductibles families face when they actually use their coverage. Bronze and silver marketplace plans now carry deductibles of $4,500 to $7,500 or much more, leaving many Americans paying thousands out of pocket even after paying monthly premiums.
This reality helps explain why Democrats treat subsidies as essential. By pouring taxpayer money into the system, they can keep premiums artificially lower and prevent mass dropouts from the exchanges. If those subsidies vanish, the full cost of coverage becomes visible, premiums spike, and the law is exposed for the sham that it is.
The subsidies are little more than a taxpayer-funded smokescreen. The Affordable Care Act forced insurers into rigid rules, benefit mandates, and coverage guarantees that drove up costs. Rather than addressing those pressures, President Obama and the Democrats leaned on subsidies to keep premiums somewhat affordable for the average family. The result is a cycle where costs climb, deductibles rise, and taxpayers are asked to shoulder more of the burden each year. This is the design to slowly push America into a government-run system disguised as a private system.
As they say, if you think something is expensive now, just wait until it’s free.
Democrats must fight for subsidies to keep the system afloat and preserve President Obama’s signature legislative achievement. For Americans stuck paying the bill, that choice only proves that Obamacare has failed at its central promise. Instead of making health care affordable, it has created a model dependent on endless taxpayer bailouts.
Not a single Republican voted for the bill back in 2009-2010, leaving this issue squarely on Democrats to blame.
Until Congress is willing to confront the structure of the law itself, Americans will continue paying more, whether through higher out-of-pocket costs or through the growing tax bill required to subsidize the system.
End Obamacare and return to a truly free market between doctor and patient. It’s time to rip the band-aid off.