In a bid to cut through the partisan gridlock, Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego have reached out to the state's Republican House delegation with a plea to help prevent astronomical health care cost rises for Arizonans and to bring an end to the ongoing federal government shutdown. According to a press release from Senator Kelly's office, the senators underlined the urgency of their call, with the expiration of the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced premium tax credits set to send premiums soaring.
With these credits, more than 300,000 Arizonans have been able to afford their health coverage, and as stated by Kelly and Gallego, the withdrawal of this financial relief could mean that their costs would double, affecting over 172,000 individuals in the Republican-held congressional districts alone. "Republicans and Democrats need to work together to find an agreement to reopen the government and prevent health care premiums from spiking for the Arizonans we all represent," the senators wrote.
Kelly and Gallego's outreach comes laden with tales of constituents like Robin, who faced with the loss of subsidies, fears a surge of her monthly premium from $250 to more than $1,000, and Rusty, seeing his premiums potentially rise to $600 per month for a basic insurance plan. They also included the narrative of Eric, a small business owner, who fears that the loss of the ACA subsidies could jeopardize the risk-taking that is essential for business growth.
In their letter, the senators expressed an unwavering commitment to the people facing these imminent financial pressures. "We believe that Robin, Rusty, Eric, and the hundreds of thousands of Arizonans who will see their health care prices spike are worth fighting for," they asserted as per Senator Kelly's office. Highlighting the personal stories, they hoped to sway their Republican colleagues towards collaboration.
Concluding their correspondence, the senators extended an olive branch to their fellow lawmakers. "We agree with you that there is no time to waste. So, we invite you to come back to Washington and work with us to keep Arizonans from facing higher health care costs and get the government back open," Kelly and Gallego implored. This call to action serves not just as a political maneuver but as a plea on behalf of Arizonans staring down the imminent November 1st deadline.
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