Donald Trump and Republicans have driven healthcare costs to record highs by refusing to extend the popular ACA tax credits, pushing insurance premiums up 58% on average. The result has been a drop of more than 3 million enrollees and a looming loss of coverage for millions more. Meanwhile, the administration has slashed Medicaid by nearly $1 TRILLION, the largest cut in U.S. history, which is projected to leave an additional 15 million people uninsured.

These moves have left over half of Americans unable to afford consistent coverage in 2025 – the lowest five‑year record – and pushed one in four workers into jobs they dislike just to keep insurance. As the mid‑term election approaches, a majority of voters say they would back candidates who promise to restore ACA tax credits, and Democrats currently trail Republicans by about eight points on the generic ballot. Trump’s approval sits near 33%.

In a DNC statement, spokesperson Jaelin O’Halloran warned that “no amount of gaslighting from Republicans will reverse the pain working families feel as they take on record amounts of debt for medical bills they can’t afford.” Republicans now scramble to mitigate backlash while the public recalls who made healthcare affordable and who made it expensive.