Springfield, IL — Led by U.S. Representative Lauren Underwood (D-14), the U.S. House passed a bill yesterday to extend the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits after Donald Trump and Republicans allowed them to expire at the end of last year, raising health care premiums for hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans. Along with the overwhelming majority of House Republicans, U.S. Representatives Mike Bost (IL-12), Mary Miller (IL-15), and Darin LaHood (IL-16) voted to do nothing about skyrocketing premiums for working families–including for their very own constituents.
“Bost, Miller, and LaHood once again chose to abandon their own constituents. They already gutted Medicaid while handing out massive tax cuts to billionaires—and as evidenced yesterday, they see no problem with allowing costs to skyrocket even more. Led by Rep. Underwood, Democrats fought tooth and nail to pass this bill, and will continue fighting for Illinoisans’ health care,” said DPI Chair Lisa Hernandez.
In December, House Republicans voted to pass a bill that would do nothing to address skyrocketing health care premiums and wouldn’t even scratch the surface of lowering costs. Meanwhile, they let the clock run out on extending the ACA tax credits and allowed premiums to soar for roughly 500,000 Illinoisans.
