Obamacare’s rocketing premium costs put a pin in Dems’ shutdown claims

Democrats desperate to pin the blame on Republicans for “skyrocketing” healthcare premiums got a brutal reality check.

A healthcare executive and former advisor on the White House’s National Economic Council took to social media to throw cold water on the flames Democrats have been fanning as they seek to yoke the GOP with rising Affordable Care Act premiums.

After Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) posted on X that “Republicans are intentionally skyrocketing your premiums,” Brian Blase, the president of the Paragon Health Institute, shared some pointed facts.

“1. Premiums went up because of the ACA 2. Large subsidies were put in place to offset enrollees’ costs. 3. During COVID, there were subsidy add-ons. Democrats scheduled them to expire after 2025. 4. The original large subsidies will still be in place,” Blase wrote..

1. Premiums went up because of the ACA
2. Large subsidies were put in place to offset enrollees’ costs.
3. During COVID, there were subsidy add-ons. Democrats scheduled them to expire after 2025.
4. The original large subsidies will still be in place.https://t.co/6C6nX0vrUZ

— Brian Blase (@brian_blase) October 1, 2025

“The premium increase will hit regardless of what Congress does. That is an unfortunate feature of how Obamacare is working. The question is the share that should be paid by taxpayers,” he wrote in another post. “Pouring more subsidies on insurers entrenches the status quo & means higher premiums & prices.”

The premium increase will hit regardless of what Congress does. That is an unfortunate feature of how Obamacare is working. The question is the share that should be paid by taxpayers.

Pouring more subsidies on insurers entrenches the status quo & means higher premiums & prices.

— Brian Blase (@brian_blase) October 1, 2025

With the government shutdown, Democrats have rolled out the finger-pointing narrative as the “enhanced” tax credits under Obamacare will be ending this year.

“Republicans are fighting to make sure this happens to their own constituents,” Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) posted on X.

If you live in these states, your ACA premiums are about to jump:

SD – Up 235%
LA – Up 150%
WV – Up 387%
WY – Up 382%
TN – Up 320%
MS – Up 314%
AK – Up 346%

Republicans are fighting to make sure this happens to their own constituents.

— Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) September 30, 2025

“If Congress doesn’t extend ACA enhanced premium tax credits, 20 million Americans will see a dramatic rise in premium costs, and another 4 million people will lose their coverage completely,” Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) wrote in a post on X. “My Republican colleagues need to come to the table so that we can prevent this disaster.”

“Republicans in Washington did this,” Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock claimed in a post that Blase hit with a fact check.

This was actually the result of a law that dramatically increased premiums that no Republican supported.

And no Republicans supported the COVID credits or voted for their expiration at the end of 2025.

And showering insurers with more taxpayer $ will not lower costs.

— Brian Blase (@brian_blase) October 1, 2025

“Democrats are fighting to extend expiring COVID-era Obamacare subsidies they passed under Joe Biden with zero Republican support,” Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) posted on Wednesday. “These subsidies are responsible for tens of billions in improper and fraudulent payments.”

“The pool of people eligible for Obamacare subsidies vastly increased, with insurance companies being the ultimate beneficiaries. Dishonest brokers were incentivized to recruit—or invent—as many people as possible, each new signup bringing with it thousands in taxpayer dollars,” he continued.

Democrats are fighting to extend expiring COVID-era Obamacare subsidies they passed under Joe Biden with zero Republican support.

These subsidies are responsible for tens of billions in improper and fraudulent payments. pic.twitter.com/aYSedEzT88

— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 1, 2025

“That premium support program doesn’t even expire until next year,” Vice President JD Vance told “Fox and Friends” on Wednesday.

“So why are you shutting down the government on October 1 because of a program that doesn’t even expire for another few months?” he continued. “Let’s talk about it, let’s negotiate, let’s do what you do in Washington, D.C.”

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Frieda Powers

Senior Staff Writer
Frieda@bizpacreview.com

Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.