Congressman Deluzio Shares Stories of Western Pennsylvanians Bracing for Huge Spike in Health Insurance Costs

CARNEGIE, PA – Today, Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) released some of the initial submissions he received from constituents in response to his request to share stories about rising healthcare costs. The dozens of responses received to-date paint a dire picture. 
 
“Western Pennsylvanians should be focusing right now on celebrating Halloween or trick-or-treating with their family. Instead, so many are bracing for skyrocketing health insurance premiums that may force them to skip coverage altogether next year,” said Congressman Deluzio. “It doesn’t have to be this way—Congressional Republicans can come to the table with Democrats to hash out a deal that stops this healthcare crisis. But we’re running out of time.” 

Open enrollment for Pennie, Pennsylvania’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) insurance marketplace, starts tomorrow, November 1st. Congressional Republicans have refused to extend ACA enhanced premium tax credits that made these plans more affordable—and that spike is now reflected in prices Pennie shoppers see. Democrats like Congressman Deluzio are pushing to save these tax credits by including them in a compromise government funding measure. However, Republicans control every level of government in Washington and have shut the government down for almost an entire month because they refuse to return to Washington to hammer out a deal with Democrats to lower healthcare costs and reopen the government.  

Without congressional action, 24,000 Pennsylvanians in the 17th Congressional District who get their coverage through Pennie can expect to see premiums skyrocket an average of about 75%, or $130 per month. 

Highlights from the stories shared by Congressman Deluzio’s constituents include: 

• Tim currently pays $550 per month through Pennie and is looking at a new monthly premium of $1,300. He wrote to Congressman Deluzio that this cost hike will be “devastating.” Tim went on to say: “My wife, who is a cancer survivor, lost her job...Her healthcare costs will double, not including additional out-of-pocket costs and a deductible that is 3 times higher than she paid as part of her employer plan.”
   
• One couple who wishes to remain anonymous shared a detailed story: “We will either have to pay dramatically more or significantly cut back on the coverage we have. My wife and I are in our 60s (but not yet old enough for Medicare). My wife took early social security after having hip replacement and recognizing that she could not go back to work as a full-time math teacher. I am self-employed right now. We rely on the marketplace for our health insurance and opted for a higher monthly premium plan in order to avoid hard-to-meet deductibles (we needed payment plans with providers after we each had surgery earlier this year and we had insurance through employment then). Health insurance is already our biggest fixed monthly expense. Now we face the prospect of either paying much larger premiums or paying the same for a plan that puts us at risk for huge deductibles and copays.” 
   
• Stephen currently pays $135 per month for his bronze health insurance plan through Pennie. His current plan’s cost without tax subsidies would be approximately $1,100 per month. He shared that this price hike would “hurt like hell in the wallet! We will have to dip into our savings and cut back (a lot) in other areas to save money.” 
   
• Tommy wrote that he currently pays $344 per month through Pennie—and he’s been alerted that the price will “double.” He wrote to Congressman Deluzio: “My family will have to go to a cheaper plan with less coverage and hope that everyone stays healthy in 2026.🤞” 
   
• Marsha pays about $350 per month through Pennie and knows the price will go up, but isn’t exactly sure by how much. She shared: “I’m on a limited income and I’m a mom. I’m not sure how I will be able to pay healthcare premiums.” 
   
• Another constituent who wishes to remain anonymous already pays $1,000 per month through Pennie and is worried about an increase. They wrote: “I already pay so much, and I am at their mercy, because I have health issues, so must have insurance.” 

Congressman Deluzio has been consistently and forcefully speaking out about this issue for over a month. He recently met with several of his Western Pennsylvania constituents who get their healthcare through Pennie to hear their stories. Congressman Deluzio will keep pushing Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson to bring the U.S. House back to Washington to negotiate a deal to re-open the government and stop healthcare costs from skyrocketing. Speaker Johnson has cancelled all scheduled votes in the U.S. House of Representatives since September 19, 2025. 

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