Healthcare costs may soar for local families without ACA tax credits

GASTONIA, N.C. — Local families are expressing frustration as the House of Representatives votes on a stopgap spending bill that could end Affordable Care Act subsidies, potentially increasing their healthcare costs significantly.

The spending bill under consideration by lawmakers does not include an extension for the Affordable Care Act subsidies, which many families rely on to offset healthcare costs.

Without these subsidies, individuals like Katie Gordon and Regina Baker fear they will face unaffordable premium increases.

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“Pretty stressful because it will be decisions from my business that maybe I gotta let somebody go,” said Katie Gordon, who owns a counseling center in King Mountain. “It goes from $279 a month to if they take that subsidy it’s $2,700 a month.”

Katie Gordon has relied on the Affordable Care Act tax credits for seven years and is concerned about the drastic increase in premiums if the subsidies are removed.

Her plan is one of the highest tiers for coverage, and she is worried about the financial implications for her business and family.

Regina Baker, a daycare supervisor in Gastonia, said, “Please consider us working class people that’s not looking for a handout, we work.”

Baker currently pays no monthly premium for her healthcare plan, but next year, she expects to pay $138.

As the primary breadwinner for her household, which includes her daughter and two grandchildren, Baker fears she may need to find a part-time job to afford the increased costs.

Both women are closely watching the vote on the spending bill, hoping Congress will extend the tax credits that help them manage healthcare expenses.

They are concerned that Congress is primarily focused on getting government employees back to work and may not address ACA changes in time to prevent premium hikes.

As Congress deliberates on the spending bill, families like those of Katie Gordon and Regina Baker are left uncertain about their financial futures, hoping for a resolution that maintains the subsidies they depend on.

“It’s going to hurt a lot of people, but it’s like they don’t care. It’s really sad,” Baker expressed.

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