KSHB 41 reporter Charlie Keegan covers politics in Kansas, Missouri and at the federal level. He knew the Senate was voting on these proposals today and found Dawn Wheeler to discuss the impact. Share your story idea with Charlie.
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The U.S. Senate failed to pass several proposals Thursday to address the cost of premiums for people getting health insurance through the Affordable Care Act.
A federal subsidy is set to expire at the end of the year.
Dawn Wheeler, of Edwardsville, Kan., has cancer and relies on an Affordable Care Act plan to cover the costs of her treatment.
In 2025, she paid $69 per month for her premium. If the subsidy expires, her cost will increase to $2,300 per month.
“It’s panic time for a lot of people,” Wheeler said. "I honestly don’t know what we’re going to do.”
Two bills failed to get 60 necessary votes Thursday to pass the Senate. A third proposal from Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) also failed Thursday.
He proposed extending the subsidy for one year, then giving Americans money in Health Savings Accounts to pay for their own health insurance plans.
“It would empower patients rather than insurance companies,” Marshall said.
He blamed Democrats for preventing his bill from passing.
“I’m horribly sorry that the Democrats rejected my year-long extension,” Marshall replied when asked to give a message to Kansans like Wheeler.
“That is a bunch of ‘I’m sorry’ BS. Absolute, horrible BS,” Wheeler said after seeing Marshall’s response. “They need to do better.”
In the House of Representatives, a group of bipartisan lawmakers, including Democrat Sharice Davids, are supporting a new proposal. It would extend the subsidies for two years.
“When I'm at Price Chopper grabbing my groceries, I mean, literally every single person mentions the increasing costs of healthcare, how scared they are, how worried they are,” Davids said.
Wheeler is hopeful something will happen by the end of the year. She can’t afford health insurance without the subsidy.
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