Deluzio, Healthcare Providers, and Local Leaders Sound Alarm on Looming Spike in Health Insurance Costs

WILKINSBURG, PA — Today, Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato, and healthcare providers, including Pennsylvania State Representative and Doctor Arvind Venkat, sounded the alarm on the looming healthcare cost crisis because of Washington Republicans’ refusal to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits. 

Photos of the event are available to members of the press here. 

Democrats like Congressman Deluzio are pushing to save this program that keeps healthcare affordable by including it in a compromise government funding measure. However, Republicans control every level of government in Washington and have shut the government down for 22 days 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 about 75%.

“Life is already too expensive, and I will not sit by as the cost of healthcare soars for thousands of my constituents. I think we should do something about it,” said Congressman Deluzio at a press conference today at the Allegheny County Health Department’s Office of Family and Child Health. “Washington Republicans who have full control must work with Democrats to lower healthcare costs, extend these important ACA tax credits, and re-open our government.” 

”When people lose affordable coverage, they skip care, face higher medical costs, and our entire community feels the impact,” said Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato. “Affordable health care keeps our families strong, our businesses growing, and our communities thriving. The refusal in Washington to negotiate in good faith to preserve access to health care for millions of Americans is simply unacceptable.” 

"As an ER Doc, I have seen patients who avoided necessary healthcare because of a lack of insurance, to the detriment of their health and even ultimately leading to their death. The expiration of the ACA tax credits means that at least 200,000 of our fellow Pennsylvanians will likely become uninsured,” said PA State Rep. Arvind Venkat, MD. “This will jeopardize their health, flood emergency departments with patients, threaten the financial viability of our hospitals, and raise healthcare costs for everyone. As a state legislator, I can say definitively that Pennsylvania cannot make up the difference. Congressman Deluzio is right to fight for the immediate renewal of the ACA tax credits and say that we should not give tax cuts to billionaires while ripping away healthcare from Pennsylvanians. There is no time to lose–the crisis is here." 

“I’ve been practicing for over 20 years, well prior to the Affordable Care Act, back when thousands more people weren’t able to afford insurance. I remember a woman who had to choose between groceries and her home oxygen—she chose food,” said Dr. Paula Jernigan, a practicing pulmonologist in Allegheny County. “Did the the ACA fix every problem? No, but it fixed a lot of them. And we will see many more people lose coverage as a result of congressional inaction and prioritizing billionaire tax cuts over the health of the American people. I can tell you that my patients are afraid, as we all should be.” 

Around 24,000 people in Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District get their health insurance through Pennie and would see their costs soar unless Congress takes urgent action. Pennie estimates that the average monthly policy cost will increase 74% in Beaver County and 75% in Allegheny County, translating to an average $137 and $125 monthly individual premium increase, respectively. 

Congressman Deluzio has been consistently and forcefully speaking out about this issue. Last night, the Congressman heard the stories of several of his Western Pennsylvania constituents who get their healthcare through Pennie. They are some of the 22 million Americans across the country who are facing big hikes in the cost of their health insurance premiums unless Congress acts to save these ACA premium tax credits. Congressman Deluzio also recently launched an online form where Western Pennsylvanians can share their stories about their healthcare rate hikes. 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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