Washington D.C. – A new national YouGov/CBS poll found a staggering 40 percent of voters say the Trump-GOP Big Ugly Bill passed last year has “hurt” them or their family, while 21 percent say they’ve seen no benefit at all. The survey comes as NBC News reports that insurance costs are poised to spike again next year for most Americans after Trump and Republicans like Tom Kean Jr. (R-NJ-7) robbed $1 trillion from Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to pay for tax breaks for billionaires and big corporations.

Brad Woodhouse, President of Save My Care: “So many families are worse off than they were before Trump-Kean Big Ugly Bill dug its claws into the economy. Since Republicans ripped away tax credits from working families, millions have seen their monthly premiums jump by hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars – and millions have been forced to drop coverage altogether. Gas, food and housing are all more expensive than the year before, and we already know health premiums will be even worse next year. Trump and his accomplices in Congress like Tom Kean hatched a raw deal: a full-blown affordability crisis for working people in exchange for more tax breaks for billionaires and big corporations.  It’s no mystery why so many voters see the Big Ugly law as a punch in the gut, and why Rep. Kean desperately wants families to forget who brought the pain.”

KEY REASONS WHY 40% OF VOTERS SAY THE BIG UGLY LAW “HURT” THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES:

Tom Kean claimed that the bill he voted for “protects health care for our most vulnerable populations,” but the reality is:

  • An estimated 80,441 New Jerseyans have already lost their Medicaid, CHIP, or ACA coverage after Tom Kean and Republicans gutted health care.
    • 52,370 New Jerseyans have been kicked off of Medicaid and CHIP.
    • 28,071 New Jerseyans dropped their health care coverage after premiums skyrocketed.
  • 390,000 New Jerseyans in total are anticipated to become uninsured between 2025 and 2034.
  • 34,313 New Jerseyans living in Tom Kean’s district were receiving tax credits to make their health care more affordable. Now premiums for New Jerseyans receiving ACA tax credits increased by an average of 98% this year: 
  • A 45-year-old in New Jersey making $64,000 saw their average annual premium costs rise by $1,949 to hit $7,389 this year.
  • A 60-year-old couple in New Jersey making $85,000 saw their average annual premium costs rise by $20,552 to hit $27,777 this year.
  • A family of four in New Jersey making $130,000 saw their average annual premium costs rise by $9,860 to hit $20,910 this year.

NEW JERSEY HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AT RISK

  • Now, thanks to Republicans gutting the premium tax credits and hiking New Jerseyans’ premiums, providers in New Jersey will face a 7.3% spike in uncompensated care demand.
  • New Jersey hospitals alone are expected to lose $24.3 billion over the next decade. Six health care providers in Tom Kean’s district have already announced cuts or closed:
    • CUTS ANNOUNCED: Optum Healthcare (Basking Ridge)
    • CLOSED: Optum Healthcare Springfield – Dermatology (Springfield)
    • CLOSED: Optum Healthcare Springfield – Endocrinology (Springfield)
    • CLOSED: Optum Healthcare Springfield – Gastroenterology (Springfield)
    • CLOSED: Optum Healthcare Springfield – Orthopedics (Springfield)
    • CLOSED: Optum Healthcare Springfield – Podiatry (Springfield)

VOICES FROM NORTH-CENTRAL JERSEY

Savanah from Clinton: “Savanah Simeone, senior program assistant at Hunterdon, said what hurts her the most is realizing that her daughters’ generation may be worse off than their parents. ‘That’s not the American Dream I grew up hearing about. That’s not making America great. We’re going backwards,’ Simeone said. ‘And I’ll tell you why so many working families are worse off: Because the people who are supposed to represent us have chosen to prioritize billionaires and corporations over working people. Funding for health care, education and essential public services is being slashed so tax breaks can continue flowing to the wealthy.’ ‘Congressman Thomas Kean voted for the policies and budget proposals that are dismantling Medicaid, Medicare and affordable health care in our state,’ Simeone added. ‘Roughly 350,000 New Jerseyans could lose Medicaid coverage outright.’”

Gerardo from Clinton: “Gerardo Rivera, senior therapy assistant at Hunterdon, said the cuts are not abstract political debates in Washington and people are already being hurt. ‘For those of us on the front lines, these aren’t political talking points. The people I care for do not have lobbyists. These decisions have real consequences,’ Rivera said. ‘And we’re already seeing it. When health care facilities reduce services or close altogether and workers lose their jobs or lose income while expenses continue to rise, people leave the profession. Burnout increases. Recruitment becomes harder. Retention becomes harder. And again, it is New Jersey’s most vulnerable that ultimately pay the price.’”

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