Article Summary –
Lauri and Jonathan Cumming, both cancer survivors, face financial strain due to soaring healthcare costs after the expiration of Enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits, which increased their monthly insurance premium from $950 to $2,500. This situation is part of a broader crisis where Medicaid cuts and the loss of ACA coverage, resulting from Republican policy changes, threaten healthcare access for hundreds of thousands in Pennsylvania and nationwide, potentially closing hospitals and exacerbating healthcare worker burnout. At a healthcare forum, experts and affected individuals highlighted the dire consequences of these cuts, emphasizing the necessity of restoring funding and advocating for a “Healthcare Bill of Rights” to secure affordable care.
Last year, Lauri Cumming and her husband, Jonathan, both received cancer diagnoses. Lauri, a realtor and church bookkeeper from Bryn Mawr, underwent a lumpectomy and radiation for breast cancer. Jonathan, who operates a contracting business with their son, was treated for melanoma.
Although they detected their cancers early enough for successful treatment, the couple now faces high health care costs. Lauri’s ongoing medication and both their required follow-up oncology appointments, CT scans, and MRIs contribute to this burden.
The expiration of Enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits, which had eased the purchase of health care for millions of Americans, has left the Cummings in financial distress. They now pay $2,500 monthly for insurance through Pennie, Pennsylvania’s ACA marketplace, up from $950 last year.
Lauri, who also cares for her autistic daughter, expressed concerns at a health care forum organized by PA-SNAP. “We might cut some expenses, but food and clothing are all that’s left,” she said, describing the difficulty in affording insurance.
The couple previously lacked insurance for years before the ACA. “We caught our cancers early this year, but without insurance, who knows?” Lauri explained.
‘It’s devastating. No one can do this. No one can afford this.’
The Cummings’ situation reflects a broader crisis. At a forum held by PA-SNAP in Philadelphia, experts and health care workers discussed the impact of ACA coverage loss and Medicaid cuts. These changes could force Pennsylvanians to choose between essentials and insurance, potentially causing hundreds of thousands to lose coverage.
Dr. Michelle Munyikwa from the University of Pennsylvania emphasized the necessity of accessible health care. Joanna Rosenhein from the Pennsylvania Health Access Network noted that premium increases have already caused 85,000 Pennsylvanians to drop coverage.
‘People will die.’
Republican legislation has led to $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts and the loss of ACA tax credits, potentially leaving 4 million Americans without ACA coverage. Maureen May, PA-SNAP president, warned, “People will die due to lack of access to care.”
As hospitals face closures, the strained system threatens longer wait times and increased burnout among health workers, she said.
‘The nurses are dying. They’re dying inside.’
Health care workers are also stressed. Burnout from heavy workloads, COVID-19, and misinformation from the Trump administration is driving professionals away. Emergency physician Max Cooper noted a growing reluctance among medical staff to remain in clinical roles. Peggy Malone, a nurse, fears fewer will enter the profession, exacerbating staffing shortages.
A ‘Healthcare Bill of Rights’
At the forum’s conclusion, PA-SNAP’s Healthcare Bill of Rights was signed, urging Congress to restore ACA tax credits and reverse Medicaid cuts. PA-SNAP calls on Pennsylvania officials to support these efforts. Maureen May stressed collective action, saying, “If the halls of power won’t protect patients, we must act together.”
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