According to
a KFF poll released in December, about half of current enrollees who are registered to vote said that if their overall health care expenses — copays, deductibles, and premiums — increased by $1,000 next year, it would have a "major impact" on whether they vote in next year's midterm elections or which party's candidate they support.
"Before I sign up, I will wait and see what happens," said poll participant Daniela Perez, a 34-year-old education consultant in Chicago who says her current plan will increase to $1,200 a month from about $180 this year without an extension of the tax credits. "I'm not super hopeful. Seems like everything is in gridlock."
"They said, based on our salary, we don't qualify," said Debra Nweke, who, at 64, is retired, while her husband, 62, still works. They live in Southern California and are looking at coverage going from $1,000 a month this year to $2,400 monthly next year if they stay in the same ACA plan. "How can you have health insurance that is more than your rent?"
"Our prices are going up, but even at that, I don't have any other options," said Andrew Schwarz, a 38-year-old preacher in Bowie, Texas, who gets ACA coverage for himself and his wife. His three children are on a state health insurance program because the family qualifies as low-income.
Schwarz said that while the health system overall has many problems, Obamacare has worked out for his family. They'll just have to take the additional cost out of somewhere else in the family budget, he said.
Meanwhile, the clock is ticking for shoppers. People needed to choose their ACA plan by Monday for coverage to begin Jan. 1. Open enrollment continues in most states until Jan. 15 for coverage beginning Feb. 1.
