Rep. Rick Larsen Fights for Lower Healthcare Costs in Northwest Washington
TL/DR –
Rep. Rick Larsen is advocating for legislation that will significantly reduce healthcare costs for working families in Northwest Washington state. More than 25,000 residents in that area receive tax credits averaging $1,325 annually to afford insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA); if these credits aren’t extended by Congress before the end of 2025, these residents’ net premium costs will increase by 60%, causing an estimated 80,000 people across the state to lose their health coverage. This potential crisis has sparked concern among these residents, with some sharing their personal stories about the importance of the ACA tax credit, and hospitals and health centers in the area have already started to feel the impact of the proposed cuts.
US Representative Rick Larsen Fights to Lower Healthcare Costs in Northwest Washington
US Representative Rick Larsen is championing legislation aimed at reducing health care costs for working families in Northwest Washington. He warns that without Congress’ intervention, over 25,000 residents in this region will face a sharp rise in their health care costs by 2026 and, in turn, this will lead to a health care crisis.
Currently, over 25,000 residents of Northwest Washington are benefiting from tax credits averaging $1,325 per person per year, enabling them to afford insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). However, if these tax credits are not extended beyond December 31, 2025, residents could experience a sixty percent increase in their net premium costs. This could result in an estimated 80,000 Washingtonians losing their health insurance, putting additional pressure on the health care system and increasing costs for everyone.
Last month, Larsen spoke with Kathryn Sutton, a small business owner from Bellingham who depends on the ACA tax credit to pay for health insurance. She shared her fears and concerns about how the potential loss of these credits would impact her ability to afford basic insurance. Listen to Mrs. Sutton’s story here.
Other residents of Northwest Washington also anonymously shared their stories about the importance of ACA tax credits. One resident from Snohomish County spoke about her husband’s failing health and how their family would be financially unstable without subsidies. A resident from Island County shared his fears about what his life would look like without the ACA tax credit, expressing the fear of going bankrupt. An entrepreneur from Whatcom County emphasized how subsidized healthcare was integral to her successful small business.
Larsen criticised the Big Ugly Law, claiming it would lead to 17 million people losing their health care and the closure of rural hospitals. He vowed to continue his fight to lower health care costs for his constituents.
The effects of the Big Ugly Law are already being felt in Northwest Washington as health care providers are preparing for funding cuts. Providence Swedish in Everett laid off more than 100 nursing assistants, citing Medicaid and Medicare cuts in the Big Ugly Law as a contributing factor. Seattle Children’s Hospital and Island Health in Anacortes have also suffered due to federal funding cuts in the law, forcing staff layoffs and threatening sustainability.
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