Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona has been hearing firsthand from families and small business owners about the sharp rise in health care costs, worsened by the expiration of Affordable Care Act tax credits at the start of this year. Rusty, a self-employed Tucson resident, told Kelly, "I don’t expect the government to solve all my problems, and I don’t expect a free ride, but what I do need help with is for them to level the playing field for the average citizen. That’s what the ACA did for me, and to see it go away is going to be catastrophic," according to the Office of the Senator.
Local businesses are also feeling the strain, as health care expenses make coverage increasingly unaffordable for employees. Gayle, who owns an independent bookstore in Tempe and Phoenix, emphasized the challenge, saying, "If you work in a bookstore, you cannot afford $10,000 out of pocket," noting that only 38 of her 85 employees were able to enroll in employer-provided insurance this year, as reported by the Office of the Senator.
Oscar, who runs a local auto body shop, said, "We lose good workers to bigger companies because they can afford benefits we can’t. I want to take care of my guys, but health care costs make that nearly impossible." Senator Kelly sent a letter to President Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., asking them to lower health care costs and maintain access to affordable care, as stated by the Office of the Senator.
