Democrats can take the blame for health insurance premiums rising as Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, enhanced premium tax credits expire, Rep. David Kustoff, R-Tenn., said Tuesday.
"So here they are expiring tomorrow. We're not in COVID anymore," Kustoff told Newsmax's "Newsline."
"COVID was a unique circumstance. Whether it was right or wrong — I think it was wrong to have increased those during COVID — but the Democrats set this cliff up, if you will, to expire at the end of the year."
He said the majority of people in his district don't want the federal government to throw more money into the system.
"I'd say that most of my constituents don't want to extend those subsidies. That's not everybody, but it's most," Kustoff said.
"And if we can just put it in perspective, we saw during COVID those subsidies really be increased, substantially increased, which was a big cost and is a big cost to the federal government and to the taxpayer.
"The fact of the matter is, before we left just a couple of weeks ago, we worked on legislation to bring healthcare costs down," he said.
Kustoff said one way to bring down health insurance costs "is through associated healthcare plans where people and groups can band together so that they can purchase healthcare insurance more cheaply."
Group buying power is not a new concept, he said.
"I'd like to see the day where you could see an association, maybe if Costco members purchase healthcare insurance, where it's sharply reduced."
Group health insurance purchasing options were included in a Republican-backed bill approved by the House earlier this month. The bill stalled in the Senate.
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Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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