Congress may soon end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, but the Associated Press reports it doesn’t resolve the issue of expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies.
Mairi Leining is the CEO of the People’s Health Clinic — a nonprofit clinic that provides no-cost healthcare to uninsured residents in the Wasatch Back. She said the Affordable Care Act marketplace helps people who don’t have insurance through work or public programs like Medicaid or Medicare buy affordable coverage.
“It's really a lifeline for eligible working families, especially those in like hospitality, construction, small businesses,” she said on KPCW’s “Local News Hour” Tuesday. “These are key sectors in Summit and Wasatch County.”
The shutdown began Oct. 1 after Democrats blocked a measure to fund the government at current levels through Nov. 21 — a move aimed at preserving premium health care subsidies added during COVID-19.
Now the government is poised to reopen, but the proposed legislative package only promises a December vote on the enhanced premium tax credits. If it passes and Congress takes no other action on health care costs this year, the subsidies will end.
“We are expecting a surge of patients,” Leining said. “These ACA tax credits expire December 31 and without them, premiums are going to jump hundreds to thousands of dollars per year.”
Leining said Utah is especially vulnerable as the state has one of the highest ACA enrollment rates in the country and the highest share of children enrolled at about 28%.
To prepare for an influx of patients, the People’s Health Clinic is working on expanding its pediatric program, which is currently run by four volunteer providers.
“It's time for us to hire a staff pediatrician, really expand the program to make sure that kids are able to get the vaccinations they need, asthma care, developmental screenings, all of that on time,” Leining said.
She said the Summit County Health Department supports that expansion. Part of the department will move to the Skullcandy building in Kimball Junction in May and the People’s Health Clinic will get more space there.
