Pugsley Park in Peekskill recently became a gathering place for advocates urging the extension of government subsidies for Affordable Care Act (ACA) premiums. These advocates joined voices with many others putting pressure on Republicans in Congress and the Trump administration to prevent millions of Americans from losing health care coverage due to unaffordable premium increases.
It is estimated that 20 million people nationwide will face soaring health care costs, while 4 million could lose coverage entirely when ACA premiums rise in 2026. Democrats on Capitol Hill have been demanding that Republicans negotiate the continuation of ACA subsidies before agreeing to end the government shutdown.
Open enrollment for ACA coverage, also known as Obamacare, began this past Saturday. As millions of Americans started reviewing their options, many learned that their health care costs could double or even triple without renewed federal support.
In New York alone, more than 118,000 residents using the state ACA marketplace are expected to pay an average of $900 more annually. Furthermore, approximately 860,000 New Yorkers risk losing their insurance coverage altogether.
State Senator Pete Harckham condemned the situation, stating, “Stripping tens of thousands of New Yorkers of their healthcare to fund tax cuts for the wealthy isn’t good governance, it’s simply cruel. Years of progress are being undone in just months, and it’s working families and seniors who will pay the price for Trump’s reckless policies.”
State Assembly Member Dana Levenberg added, “It’s shameful that in a nation as wealthy as ours, working people are begging for help to pay for medical costs. In the absence of a shift to a single-payer system and guaranteed health care, the very least our federal government can do is help people pay for their health insurance premiums, which are spiking beyond control, and certainly beyond people’s ability to pay. Congress must extend the ACA tax credits now and get back to working for the people.”
Dylan Wheeler, New York Congressional District 17 regional organizing director for the group Empire State Voices, addressed the crowd: “Already stretched budgets will be strained to their breaking point, while others will be unable to shoulder the burden and lose their health insurance entirely. The health and well-being of tens of thousands of New Yorkers rely on these tax credits being made permanent.”
Angel Gray, representing the Westchester Children’s Association, expressed the organization’s support for demands that Congress protect ACA tax credits and safeguard the stability and well-being of families who depend on them.
Rashida Tyler of the New York State Council of Churches highlighted that health care is not only a policy issue but a moral one. “Our faith teaches us that caring for our neighbors is a sacred duty, yet Congress’s inaction threatens to pull the rug out from under working families,” Tyler said. “We cannot let bureaucracy and political games force parents, seniors, and struggling individuals to choose between their health and their financial survival.”
Sparrow Tobin, president of the Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation, spoke on behalf of the federation’s 115,000 union members: “Health care is a human right, not a bargaining chip. The labor movement in the Hudson Valley will continue to fight for what’s right. On behalf of working people in Columbia, Greene, Sullivan, Ulster, Dutchess, Orange, and Rockland Counties, we will not break.”
The collective message from this gathering is clear: continued support for ACA subsidies is essential to protect millions of Americans’ access to affordable health care coverage.
https://westfaironline.com/economy/pressure-in-peekskill-for-affordable-care-tax-credits/