Sen. Shaheen: Health insurance costs will rise for 20M Americans without tax credit extension

Healthcare Policy & Negotiation - A potential government shutdown is looming, with expiring healthcare tax credits as a key point of contention between Democrats and Republicans [1] - Failure to extend tax credits could result in insurance costs rising for over 20 million people and approximately 4 million people losing their health insurance entirely [3] - The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 1.5 million more people could lose their health insurance if the extension of tax credits is delayed until the end of the year [3] - Small business owners in New Hampshire rely on these tax credits to provide health insurance for their employees, and premium increases would negatively impact them [6][7] - Rising tariffs exacerbate cost increases, compounding the difficulties for businesses alongside potential healthcare tax credit expiration [7][8] Political Stance & Potential Solutions - Some Republicans are open to extending the premium tax credits, but concerns exist about additional demands from Democrats [5][6][9] - The President's reluctance to negotiate with Democrats is hindering resolution [4] - Extending premium tax credits is considered to be in everyone's interest, and failure to do so could negatively impact the GOP in future elections [9] - The key to resolving the issue lies in leadership engaging in negotiations and finding a mutually agreeable solution [4][8][13] - The American people expect their leaders to negotiate and find solutions to avoid a government shutdown and ensure access to healthcare [11][12]