As the government shutdown continues, Americans continue to suffer. The government shutdown has already harmed federal workers, as more than 4,000 positions have been eliminated. Museums and the National Zoo have closed temporarily.
Though the Republicans have done their best to blame the Democratic Party for this shutdown, most Americans are pointing the finger at the GOP. Unfortunately, elected Republicans seem to be using this shutdown to their own advantage and to do what they’ve always wanted to do: attack American healthcare.
If the shutdown continues for weeks and months, the GOP may indeed continue to eliminate much-needed employee positions — in the CDC, for example — as well as let essential healthcare systems fall apart.
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Healthcare Issues Started the Shutdown
The government officially shut down all because of a dispute over the upcoming expiration of Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies. Democrats wanted to address these expirations within the spending bill, especially as these tax credits lower out-of-pocket costs of monthly premiums on the health insurance marketplace.
Though these tax credits have greatly helped Americans afford healthcare, the GOP doesn’t want to keep the ACA expansion that was created during the COVID-19 pandemic in place. They refused to add it to the bill, which ultimately led to the shutdown. Democrats believe this is an issue that needs to be resolved now, especially because without these enhanced tax credits, Americans would see their premiums rise by 114%.
Most Americans — including more than half of Republicans — support these enhanced tax credits and want to see the expansion stay. Even Marjorie Taylor Greene has backed these subsidies. Elected GOP officials don’t seem to care, just as they don’t care that this shutdown is going to continue to harm vital healthcare systems.
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The Shutdown Is Hurting America’s Healthcare System
The GOP has long wanted to eliminate many aspects of Medicaid. President Donald Trump has already found a way to defund Planned Parenthood, and many are worried the elimination of the ACA will be next. Of course, there’s also the GOP’s desire to see abortion illegalized throughout the nation. Now, with the shutdown, Republicans may continue their quest to gut the country’s healthcare system.
Quickly after the shutdown happened, the WIC food aid program — which helps low-income mothers and children buy essential groceries such as milk and cheese — revealed it wouldn’t have enough money to continue. Recently, the Trump administration gave it $300 million to continue running through October. But if the shutdown continues, will WIC be saved again?
Other healthcare and aid programs may run out of money soon, especially if the shutdown doesn’t end. The GOP doesn’t seem bothered, especially as they won’t negotiate the ACA subsidies at the heart of this issue. Instead of recognizing why Americans want these tax credits, Vice President JD Vance recently claimed that the system is rife with “a lot of waste and fraud.”
With this mindset, Republicans won’t change anything — and the healthcare system will likely only continue to suffer under their shutdown and their leadership.
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