News + Press
News + Press
News + Press
West Virginians Face Highest in the Nation Premium Increases While Republicans Vacation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 9, 2025
Charleston, WV – The West Virginia Democratic Party today blasted Republicans in Congress and President Donald Trump for the 387% spike in health insurance costs that will hit West Virginians who are insured through the Affordable Care Act marketplaces. This is the largest increase in any state in the country.
The devastating increases come as a direct result of the Republican decision to let Affordable Care Act Premium Tax Credits expire in 2026, effectively ending the subsidies that have made health care affordable for tens of thousands of West Virginians.
“This is a billionaires-first bill that will leave working West Virginians and families without the ability to afford health care,” said West Virginia Democratic Party Chair Mike Pushkin. “Republicans in Washington are fighting to protect tax breaks for the rich while making the rest of us pay hundreds or thousands more every month just to see a doctor. That’s not leadership—it’s cruelty.”
According to the Center for American Progress, ACA marketplace premiums in West Virginia are projected to jump 387%—the highest increase in the entire nation—if Congress fails to act.
The crisis has now become a central factor in the current Republican-engineered government shutdown. Democrats in the House of Representatives remain in Washington, ready to negotiate a bill that keeps health care affordable. Meanwhile, Republican leaders have dismissed their members for vacation, leaving town rather than working toward a solution.
“They’re literally saying to the American people: we’re not even going to show up,” Pushkin added. “West Virginians deserve better than a Congress that clocks out while people lose their health insurance.”
The West Virginia Democratic Party called on Republicans in Congress to return to Washington immediately, end the shutdown, and pass legislation to extend ACA premium tax credits before millions of Americans lose coverage and face catastrophic cost increases.
“West Virginians don’t want political games—they want affordable health care and a government that shows up for them,” said Pushkin. “Democrats are here and ready to work. Republicans need to do their jobs.”
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