Marjorie Taylor Greene urges GOP to address rising health premiums

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Greene ‘disgusted’ if health care tax credits expire and premiums double

By Sarah Fortinsky

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) signaled a willingness to negotiate with Democrats on their health care demands, breaking with her party on an issue at the core of the government shutdown standoff.

In a lengthy post on the social platform X, Greene said she’s “absolutely disgusted” that health insurance premiums could double if the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits expire, even as she stressed her strong opposition to the Obama-era legislation and to health insurance in general.

“But I’m going to go against everyone on this issue because when the tax credits expire this year my own adult children’s insurance premiums for 2026 are going to DOUBLE, along with all the wonderful families and hard-working people in my district,” Greene wrote in the post.

Greene made clear that she does not support giving health care to immigrants lacking permanent legal status in the U.S. — a frequent GOP characterization of the Democratic position — but said she is committed to solving the issue for Americans.

“No I’m not towing the party line on this, or playing loyalty games. I’m a Republican and won’t vote for illegals to have any tax payer funded healthcare or benefits,” Greene said. “I’m AMERICA ONLY!!!”

“I’m carving my own lane,” she continued. “And I’m absolutely disgusted that health insurance premiums will DOUBLE if the tax credits expire this year.”

Greene, who has broken with her party on several key issues in the past, slammed her fellow Republicans for failing to try to find a solution to the looming health care premium increase, saying the country should prioritize that issue over funding for Ukraine and Israel.

“Not a single Republican in leadership talked to us about this or has given us a plan to help Americans deal with their health insurance premiums DOUBLING!!!” the Georgia Republican wrote.

“All our country does is fund foreign countries and foreign wars, and never does anything to help the American people!!!” she added. “It is absolutely shameful, disgusting, and traitorous, that our laws and policies screw the American people so much that the government is shut down right now fighting over basic issues like this.”

Greene said she is in Washington this week — even as the House canceled votes while the Senate continues to take up the House-passed continuing resolution — and said she’s open to discussing the issue.

“Again, NO FUNDING FOR ILLEGALS AND ANY BENEFITS FOR THEM, BUT WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE ABSOLUTELY INSANE COST OF INSURANCE FOR AMERICANS,” she wrote. “You don’t HATE your government enough.”

“I’m here in Washington DC this week to meet with anyone who is AMERICA ONLY and will work with me on a plan for AMERICANS ONLY!!!” she continued.

Trump earlier Monday signaled an openness to a potential deal with Democrats on their health care demands, before appearing to walk back those remarks.

“If we made the right deal, I’d make a deal. Sure,” Trump told reporters, when asked in the Oval Office whether he’d be open to making a deal on the ACA subsidies, which Democrats want to see extended before premiums are expected to increase.

“We have a negotiation going on right now with the Democrats that could lead to very good things,” he said. “And I’m talking about good things with regard to health care.”

But the president later seemed to shift away from that position, writing in a Truth Social post, “I am happy to work with the Democrats on their Failed Healthcare Policies, or anything else, but first they must allow our Government to re-open.”

In a statement to The Hill, the White House reiterated the president’s position.

“The President’s position is clear: reopen the government with the clean, bipartisan CR that Democrats supported just 6 months ago and 13 times under Joe Biden and then we can have all the important policy discussions needed,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement.

“But right now, the Democrats are holding the American people hostage with a government shutdown because they want free health care for illegal aliens,” she added.

The government shut down Wednesday after Democrats and Republicans in the Senate failed to reach a funding deal, with Democrats demanding an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire at the end of the year.

Without action, enhanced tax credits passed during the COVID-19 pandemic to help people afford coverage will expire at the end of the year. If they expire, premiums for Affordable Care Act enrollees will increase more than 75 percent on average, according to health policy research group KFF.

While Democrats insist an extension be part of any short-term government funding legislation, GOP leaders have argued those discussions can wait until later in the year and should be separate from funding the government.