Enhanced federal ACA subsidies expired in January
ST. CLOUD, Fla. — Elijah Button was chopping onions in June when his knife slipped and sliced his middle finger to the bone. It was his worst kitchen accident to date.
But having given up his Affordable Care Act health insurance plan in January because of a $100 monthly premium increase he could not afford, the 21-year-old chef in St. Cloud did not have the money for emergency care.
“Going to the hospital for it wasn’t even an option,” he said, gesturing toward his finger before preparing a pot roast for his aunt and uncle in their suburban home. “My first thought was, ‘how am I going to fix this?’”
After Republicans in Congress let enhanced federal subsidies for Affordable Care Act health plans expire in January, millions of Americans including Button had to decide whether to keep insurance that often doubled or tripled in cost — or risk going without it.