Stop the Shutdown. Fund the Government, and Fix the Health Care Crisis

At 12:01 AM ET on Wednesday, October 1st, the federal government shut down after the Senate failed to pass a last-minute government spending bill. As a result, nearly 750,000 federal workers will be locked out of their jobs, put on leave, and forced to work without pay. The Trump administration has threatened to illegally fire thousands of workers if the government runs out of funding.

It's not just federal workers who will be impacted by the shutdown. Without a funding agreement, 180 million Americans will bear the brunt of a health care cost spike, and the delivery of essential services such as SNAP and Social Security, will be slowed or delayed.

The situation that the shutdown puts everyday Americans in is dire. On November 1, Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces in most states will begin to open for enrollment for next year. Unless Congress acts, more than 90% of people enrolled in ACA health care plans will see out-of-pocket premiums jump by more than 75% on average. Millions could lose coverage altogether when a key tax credit drops at the end of the year. Higher costs for Affordable Care Act health care plans ultimately will result in higher health care costs for everyone—including people who get their health insurance through their jobs. 

Combined with the Trump-backed Medicaid cuts passed earlier this year, 179 million people with job-based insurance could see their health care costs rise as much as $485 a year. That’s a $2,000-a-year price hike for a family of four.

The longer this shutdown continues to drag on, the more impossible choices working families will have to make between paying their rent or buying groceries, or between paying for their medications, and keeping the lights on. 

Working people are not political pawns. We urge you to reach out to your member of Congress and our U.S. Senators to urge them to put a stop to the shutdown. Click here for a list of office locations and phone numbers. 

Our message to the administration is clear: Stop the shutdown. Fund the government. Fix the health care crisis. Put working people first. We urge both parties to come to an agreement that will protect federal workers and make health care affordable and accessible for all Americans.