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- 120925 Tell Congress: Oppose High-Deductible Plans
120925 Tell Congress: Oppose High-Deductible Plans
Tell Congress: Oppose High-Deductible Plans
Republicans in Congress are proposing to eliminate Affordable Care Act subsidies and instead give Americans cash for health savings accounts paired with high-deductible health plans.
But this isn't a new idea—it's a two-decade experiment that has left 100 million Americans drowning in medical debt, even though they have insurance.
The reality of high-deductible plans:
Sarah Monroe had a six-figure income and health insurance through her job. When she developed a serious heart condition while pregnant with twins, her high-deductible plan left her with over $13,000 in medical debt. She was forced to move out of her house, drain her savings, and have her car repossessed—despite being insured.
What the evidence shows:
100 million Americans have medical debt, most while insured
Average deductible for workers has jumped from $300 in 2006 to nearly $1,700 today
Plans paired with health savings accounts require deductibles exceeding $1,650—up to $7,000 or more for individual marketplace plans
Only 7% of health care spending is for services patients can realistically shop for
Cancer patients with high-deductible plans are more likely to die than similar patients without them
Health savings accounts rarely contain enough to cover major medical bills
What Trump and GOP leaders are proposing:
Sen. Bill Cassidy and other Republicans want to send government funds directly to Americans' health savings accounts instead of subsidizing insurance premiums. Trump posted on Truth Social: "The only healthcare I will support or approve is sending the money directly back to the people."
This would push millions more Americans into high-deductible plans that leave them vulnerable to crushing debt when they get sick. Meanwhile, they’d lose access to the insurance plans they’ve already chosen.
We can't treat people like this.
Congress should reject proposals that would expand high-deductible health plans and instead focus on reducing out-of-pocket costs and medical debt for American families.
In solidarity,
Action Collective