The Grinch is Coming for Your Health Insurance (And Congress Left the Door Unlocked)
Happy Holidays, everyone! I hope you’re all getting some time to relax, maybe hitting the slopes, or just staying warm with family.
I hate to be the one to spike the eggnog, but we need to have a little “real talk” about what’s waiting in the mailbox come January 1st.
If you get your health insurance through the ACA (Obamacare) exchanges, hold onto your wallets. Those Covid-era subsidies we’ve gotten used to? They are about to expire. We aren't talking about a normal “inflation sucks” price hike.
We are talking about premiums potentially doubling or tripling overnight.
Imagine budgeting $600 for insurance and suddenly getting a bill for $1,800. That is the reality for millions of families in a few weeks unless Congress pulls a massive rabbit out of a very small hat.
So, who do we thank for this?
Look, I’m a business guy. I look at results. And right now, the party in charge—the Republicans—are effectively letting the clock run out on the American middle class.
They had a chance to fix this. But instead of a clean extension (which the Democrats and a few sensible Republicans like Murkowski and Hawley supported), we got political theater. The Senate couldn't get the votes. The House is trying to tack on 111 pages of extra “healthcare modifications” to the bill at the last minute—which is basically a poison pill.
I didn’t love the government shutdown the Dems forced earlier this year (lots of pain, very little gain), but on the actual policy? They were right. Letting these subsidies expire is an unforced error of epic proportions.
The Fallout
This isn't just lines on a spreadsheet. This is real life. When premiums spike, people drop coverage. When people drop coverage, they get vulnerable.
Republicans usually count on gerrymandering or culture wars to keep them safe, but this? This hits the wallet. Hard. If this doesn't get fixed by a Hail Mary pass this week, their own base is going to be absolutely livid in the New Year.
And honestly? They should be.
It frustrates me to no end that leadership and accountability seem to be optional in DC these days. We have real challenges in this country, and we deserve leaders who treat our well-being as a priority, not a political football.
Enjoy the holidays, folks—but keep an eye on those insurance updates. It might be a bumpy start to 2026.