**Colorado Congresswoman Diana DeGette Warns of Soaring Health Care Costs Amid Government Shutdown**
DENVER, Colorado — Congresswoman Diana DeGette, a Democrat, held a press conference on Monday alongside Colorado Insurance Commissioner Michael Conway to raise alarms about rising health care costs if Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies are not extended. The dispute over these subsidies remains a central issue in the ongoing government shutdown.
DeGette emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting that approximately 300,000 Coloradans enrolled in ACA plans, such as Connect for Health Colorado, face an average insurance premium increase of 30% next year. This contrasts sharply with the projected 5.6% increase in 2025.
“We’re smack dab in the middle of the government shutdown because the Republicans in Congress are ignoring the fact that health care costs are about to skyrocket in this country,” DeGette stated.
### Key Issue: Extension of ACA Subsidies
Extending the ACA subsidies is the pivotal demand Democrats want addressed in the continuing resolution to reopen the government. Insurance premium notices are scheduled to be sent out on November 1st.
Colorado Insurance Commissioner Michael Conway described the escalating premiums as a crisis, particularly impacting rural communities hardest. He illustrated the disparity by explaining that a family of four on the Silver Plan living on the Front Range could see an increase of approximately $13,000 next year. However, families living on the Western Slope may face increases ranging from $22,000 to $26,000.
“That is unfathomable,” Conway said. “You’re going to hear families choosing between buying groceries or paying for cancer treatment. This is a heartbreaking reality for many.”
### Personal Impact: A Family’s Story
Denver resident Chelsey Baker-Hauck shared how rising premiums will directly affect her. Permanently disabled after a COVID-19 infection damaged her heart and led to an autoimmune disease, Baker-Hauck relies on expensive treatments that enable her to work part-time. She estimates that without the subsidies, her insurance premiums could consume 40% of her income next year.
“At this point, we’re left with choices like, do I pay for health care, or do I buy food? Do I pay our $300 heating bill each month?” Baker said. “I want to send a message to everyone in Congress, including Colorado Republicans: Do your jobs. You need to lower the cost of health care. You need to extend the enhanced premium tax credits yesterday.”
### Broader Consequences
Conway warned that 75,000 to 100,000 Coloradans could lose access to health insurance if the subsidies expire, which could also negatively impact the employer-based insurance market.
“People are still going to get sick and go to the hospital,” Conway explained. “Without insurance, hospitals will face uncompensated care costs, which will ultimately be passed along to the rest of the insurance market.”
### Republican Response
Colorado Congressman Jeff Hurd, a Republican who co-sponsored the Bipartisan Premium Tax Credit Extension Act, acknowledged concerns over expiring subsidies but criticized Democrats for using the issue as “leverage in a larger funding fight.”
In a statement to Denver7, Hurd said:
> “I share the concern many families in western Colorado feel as they learn of the potential expiration of premium subsidies under the Bipartisan Premium Tax Credit Extension Act. Health care is already expensive, and uncertainty about looming premium hikes only makes things harder for working families, seniors, and small business owners.
> There is still time for Congress to act before the end of the year, and that is why I have co-sponsored bipartisan legislation to extend these tax credits and provide needed stability for Coloradans.
> Let us be clear. The expiration date was written into law when Democrats passed the last extension. They set this deadline, and they had the ability to plan for it. Instead of resolving this earlier in the budget process, it is now being used as leverage in a larger funding fight. That kind of brinkmanship is not good for Colorado families. It creates uncertainty and distracts from actually solving the problem.
> I do not believe this should be used as a bargaining chip in shutdown politics. People’s health care is too important for partisan games. We need a clean, targeted fix that extends these tax credits and provides certainty for families, while also working toward long-term solutions that bring down costs.
> But we also have to be honest about something larger. Our health care system is broken. We cannot keep throwing more money at rising costs and pretending that will fix the problem. That approach is not sustainable. We need to focus on structural changes that address the root causes of high costs, expand access to affordable care.”
Similarly, Colorado Congressman Jeff Crank, a Republican, told Denver7:
> “Senate Democrats are playing games with the American people. There is a time and place to have a discussion on healthcare, and that is when the federal government has reopened.”
### DeGette Pushes for Immediate Action
DeGette criticized Republican inaction, saying, “I’ve never seen the Republicans act on these issues. They’ve known this crisis was coming up for a year, and they’ve chosen not to act.”
The enhanced subsidies are set to expire by the end of the year. Despite multiple attempts, the Senate failed on Monday for the 11th time to pass a vote that would fund the government and address the subsidy extension.
As the deadline looms, the standoff continues, with millions of Americans, including hundreds of thousands in Colorado, awaiting a resolution that could determine their access to affordable health care in the year ahead.
https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/congresswoman-degette-and-the-colorado-insurance-commissioner-lay-out-worst-case-scenario-if-insurance-subsidies-end
