FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org
ICYMI: On the ACA’s 16th anniversary Wisconsin mom describes “a very dark cloud” as costs spike thanks to Republicans in Congress
“To see now the deterioration of this program, as well as many others, it is a very dark—a very dark—cloud”
MADISON, Wis. – In case you missed it, Spectrum News highlighted how drastic increases in healthcare costs are threatening the success of the Affordable Care Act on its 16th anniversary this week. After Republicans in Congress allowed healthcare tax credits to expire at the end of last year, many families, like the one featured in this report, are paying more than double for coverage.
New polling released last week found that nearly one in ten Americans were forced to forgo coverage amid rising costs while 55 percent of returning enrollees said they would need to cut back on spending in other areas to afford coverage.
“Nearly 300,000 Wisconsinites depend on the Affordable Care Act to access the care they need. The ACA has been an incredible success and for over 16 years Wisconsin families have been able to use it to access healthcare without breaking the bank,” said Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. “Now, Republicans in Congress like Derrick Van Orden and Bryan Steil are threatening the program’s success. At the same time Wisconsinites are being squeezed by higher costs from tariffs, skyrocketing gas prices from the Republican war in Iran, and cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, Republicans are also forcing premiums through the roof. It’s time for Republicans in Congress to restore healthcare tax credits and work to protect the Affordable Care Act, not rip it apart.”
Spectrum News: ‘A very dark cloud’: Wisconsin mom sees ACA premium more than double
Phyllis Jaworski lives in Western Wisconsin, near the Minnesota border, with her husband and two teenage boys. They obtain their health insurance through an online marketplace under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Last year, she paid $800 a month for coverage. That ballooned to $1800 this year, after Republicans in Congress allowed enhanced subsidies to expire for people buying ACA coverage.
“It is kind of an emotional piece, being like, ‘Wow, we just really can't afford what we've always thought we could,’” she said.
Jaworski said she and her husband have cut back on subscriptions and look for sales at the grocery store. They’ve also weighed if they can afford extracurricular activities for their sons. They might seek scholarships, or ask their oldest son who’s working to contribute. He’s also getting his driver’s license soon, so their car insurance will go up.
“This should be a time of excitement and stuff, and for us, it's actually kind of dread, right?” she said. “An additional $1,000 a month for the health insurance, and now I think it's like an additional $500 a year, or whatever it is, for the driver's insurance… It's hard.”
Monday marked 16 years since then-President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law.
“To see now the deterioration of this program, as well as many others, it is a very dark—a very dark—cloud,” Jaworski said. “We felt very fortunate that it was an option when I left my job and lost our insurance… And it was just nice to think—to feel like—there was something that we could fall back on and rely on if we needed it.”
In a social media post, Congressman Mark Pocan, D-Madison, wrote that tens of millions of Americans “received the coverage they needed, and insurers could no longer deny care for pre-existing conditions” when the ACA was signed into law. He added that he’s “committed to protecting the Affordable Care Act against GOP attacks and to fighting to bring the tax credits back!”
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