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Tens of millions of Americans are set to see their health insurance costs soar when subsidies under the Affordable Care Act expire at the end of this year. Health insurance premiums are expected to more than double or even triple for some 20 million people, pricing many out of healthcare coverage entirely. “We’ve done nothing as a country to control healthcare costs,” says Elisabeth Benjamin, vice president of health initiatives at the Community Service Society of New York and member of New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s transition team. She discusses how premiums will work, how to seek help, what to watch for in alternative plans, and more.

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.

AMY GOODMAN: On January 1st, tens of millions in the United States will see their health insurance costs soar, when subsidies under the Affordable Care Act expire. Health insurance premiums are expected to more than double or triple for some 20 million people, pricing many out of healthcare coverage entirely. The enhanced subsidies were first put in place during the pandemic. Congress is on recess until January 6th, with Republicans reportedly leaving early for a two-week holiday break without voting to extend the ACA, or Obamacare, tax benefits. Divisions over the issue were at the heart of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history earlier this year, with Democrats insisting on continuing the subsidies.

For more, we’re joined here in our New York studio by Elisabeth Benjamin, vice president of health initiatives at Community Service Society of New York, member of the New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s transition team.

Elisabeth, welcome back to Democracy Now! Explain what’s about to happen. It’s January 1st.

ELISABETH BENJAMIN: Yes, starting January 1st, people will no longer have access to what’s called enhanced premium tax credits. This enabled us to cover about, basically, double the number of people that were able to participate in Obamacare, the Affordable Care Act, tax premium credit program, or financial assistance program, that enabled people to purchase healthcare more affordable — in a more affordable fashion.

You know, the Affordable Care Act benefits, really, crucial members of society, small business owners, self-employed people, gig workers, artists, writers. A whole swath of folks will no longer have access just because the premiums are so expensive now, and the nation has essentially done nothing to control healthcare costs. So, it’s going to be very difficult come January 1st for many, many Americans, about 11 million.

On top of that, with H.R. 1, the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill, we know that President Trump and the Republicans that voted for this bill will make it much harder........

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