SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — As Congress continues negotiations to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits set to expire on January 1, a San Diego coalition is working to ensure residents don't lose access to healthcare coverage.
The extension of ACA subsidies has been a major sticking point in recent legislative discussions, with Democrats demanding the credits be renewed.
On Monday, the Senate will begin a series of eight votes. The eighth and FINAL vote in the series will be a vote to pass the government funding bill. A separate vote on the ACA's extension is expected later this year.
Thousands of San Diego residents rely on Covered California for their health insurance coverage, making the potential expiration of these subsidies a critical local issue.
The Affordable Care Act led to the creation of Covered California in 2012, which offers coverage to people who don't qualify for Medicare or Medi-Cal.
Jan Spencley, executive director of San Diegans for Healthcare Coverage, said her coalition has spent decades fighting for San Diegans' rights to access affordable care.
"Covered California serves as the lifeblood for a lot of people, self-employed people," Spencley said. "It's a bridge between jobs."
However, Spencley said cost is the most significant barrier for people getting coverage.
The financial impact could be severe for many. For a single person earning $1,800 monthly, Spencley said paying 10% of that income for health insurance premiums is unaffordable.
Spencley, who has decades of experience in health insurance advocacy, believes government healthcare programs operate efficiently.
"Medicare is the most efficient program going. The Medicaid program is the cheapest program going," she said. "If you cut Medicaid, you cut Medicare."
Spencley also said California has maximized ACA benefits by adding state subsidies for lower-income families.
However, if Congress doesn't extend federal ACA subsidies, premiums could skyrocket substantially for more than 1.8 million Californians who depend on this coverage. About 10% of those affected live in San Diego County.
"I'm hearing from people who are tormented by this," Spencley said. "How am I going to pay for my kids. How am I going to pay for my wife. The pre-65 group is going to see the biggest increases."
During the current open enrollment period, Spencley has noticed hesitation among potential enrollees.
"They're going, I've got to think about this, I gotta pay rent. I gotta pay a car payment," Spencley said.
This uncertainty has Spencley concerned about a potential surge in the number of uninsured residents.
"This is the tip of the iceberg," Spencley said. "If you don't give people health care before they turn 65, by the time they get into Medicare, they're gonna be very expensive."
Spencley advises people to renew their coverage immediately, warning that delays or missing initial payments could result in being locked out of coverage entirely.
