Healthcare Premiums for Wisconsinites to Skyrocket in 2026 Because Republicans Refuse to Extend Health Care Tax Credits

WATCH: Baldwin, Evers, Moore, Pocan raise alarms on health care premiums doubling for many, some seeing increases of over $30,000 next year if Republicans don’t act

78% of Americans – including majorities of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents – support extending health care tax breaks

WISCONSIN – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, and Representatives Gwen Moore (D-WI-04) and Mark Pocan (D-WI-02) announced that Wisconsinites who get their health care through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace will see skyrocketing premiums because Congressional Republicans continue to fail to extend the enhanced premium tax credits. The new rates released by the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance show all Wisconsinites with marketplace coverage will see their costs go up while some families will see their premiums double, including some seniors seeing an increase of over $30,000 per year. Today’s announcement comes as Wisconsinites will begin shopping on HealthCare.Gov for health care on November 1, in just five days.

“For more than 275,000 Wisconsinites, the hundreds or thousands of dollars they are being forced to pay to get health care is 100% avoidable – but my Republican colleagues refuse to act. I’ve talked to many of these families and small business owners who are downright scared about what the future holds. At a time when Wisconsin families are desperate for a little bit of breathing room, Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans continue to jack up costs on ordinary Americans while giving handouts to billionaires and big corporations,” said Senator Baldwin. “There is still time to act and stop Wisconsinites from facing these dire cost increases. After 27 days, I’m still at the table ready to work with my colleagues to end this shutdown and protect millions of families who are already struggling to make ends meet – are my Republican colleagues finally ready to join me?”

For 27 days, Republicans and Donald Trump have refused to negotiate, keeping the government shut down and not working with Democrats to extend these tax breaks and stop 22 million Americans from seeing skyrocketing health care costs. 275,000 Wisconsinites benefit from the premium tax break, saving them an average of $585 per month. It is projected that the Republican cost increases will price four million Americans out of care entirely, including 30,000 Wisconsinites. Recent polling shows that 78 percent of Americans and nearly 60 percent of Republicans support extending the tax credits.

How much Wisconsinites’ health care coverage costs will increase varies depending on age, income, plan selection, and available insurers in each county. However, many Wisconsinites will see their premiums increase significantly, with seniors and middle-class families seeing some of the largest increases, if Republicans in Congress do not extend the premium tax breaks. The Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance today released several scenarios illustrating the enormous out-of-pocket costs Wisconsinites will see on a monthly and annual basis based on example ages, incomes, and counties of residence.

In Barron County, a 60-year-old couple making around $85,000 could see their premiums skyrocket more than $33,000 each year. In Dane County, a 60-year-old couple could still see their premium triple, costing them another nearly $20,000 a year.

A 26-year-old in Eau Claire, making $48,000 a year and who is no longer eligible to be on their parents’ insurance would see their premium cost an additional $2,000 a year.

“At a time when costs continue to go up and families and seniors are already struggling to make ends meet, we should be doing everything we can to make healthcare more affordable and accessible. But instead, Republicans in Congress are refusing to extend key supports under the Affordable Care Act, which means some Wisconsinites will pay hundreds or thousands of dollars more every month and even tens of thousands of dollars more a year—folks, that’s breathtaking,” said Gov. Evers. “With Open Enrollment just days away, President Trump and Republicans in Congress must work across the aisle to ensure these Affordable Care Act tax credits do not expire and prevent Wisconsin families and seniors from seeing their healthcare coverage costs skyrocket. Republicans’ reckless decisions are causing prices on everything to go up, from groceries to gas—Wisconsinites cannot afford to pay even more for healthcare, too. Republicans need to end this chaos and stop working to make healthcare more expensive. It’s that simple.”

“More than 275,000 Wisconsinites from all walks of life will suffer if their ACA premiums rise, including small business owners, self-employed workers, farmers, and families across our state. These higher costs will squeeze Wisconsinites already struggling with the high cost of living. Too many will be forced to forgo health care altogether because it’s now unaffordable,” said Representative Moore. “Republicans must start working with Democrats to protect our constituents’ access to affordable health care.”

“Earlier this year, Congressional Republicans took a machete to Americans’ healthcare with their Big Ugly Law,” said Representative Pocan. “Now, they deliberately shut down the government instead of working with Democrats to prevent healthcare from getting even more expensive for everyone. It’s not just theoretical anymore, these rates are here and all of us will be paying more for healthcare, but unfortunately, some families might now need to decide between affording healthcare or putting food on the table.”

Senator Baldwin has voted seven times to reopen the government, reverse Republicans’ cuts to Medicaid, and extend the Affordable Care Act enhanced premium tax credits. Senator Baldwin and Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) lead legislation to make these tax breaks permanent. In recent months, Senator Baldwin travelled the state and met with constituents virtually to highlight how the expiration of these tax credits will hurt working families, small businesses, and farmers.

Today, Senator Baldwin, Governor Evers, and Representatives Moore and Pocan held a virtual press conference on the dire need to extend health care tax breaks for families. A full recording of the virtual press conference is available here.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.