‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ [link removed] [[link removed]]Aloha,

This week Governor Josh Green made it clear that, if the U.S. Congress fails to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits and instead allows them to expire at the end of this month, he will include $16.5 million in his proposed 2026 state budget to protect Hawaii families from a healthcare disaster that threatens to strip insurance coverage from thousands of our people.

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"When people lose insurance, they delay care,” Governor Green said. "They skip cancer screenings and diabetes checkups. They stretch medications or stop taking them altogether. They wait until a stroke, a heart attack, an asthma crisis or a complicated infection forces them into the emergency room, where the care is more expensive, the outcomes are worse, and the financial fallout can last a lifetime. That is the real human cost of letting these subsidies end."

Right now more than 24,000 Hawaii residents get their health coverage through the ACA marketplace, with 83 percent of them relying on federal subsidies to make that coverage affordable. If the enhanced tax credits expire, the average premiums for plans on our exchange are projected to jump by 32 percent. For many families, costs could more than double.

In Hawaii, as many as 8,000 people could lose coverage or drop their plans altogether because of the cost increase. As many as 1,500 jobs could be lost, primarily in healthcare and related sectors, because of reduced spending and higher uncompensated care. Hawaii’s economy is projected to shrink by approximately $150 million if ACA subsidies are allowed to expire.

"In our state, we are choosing to act,” Governor Green said. "The $16.5 million I am proposing in our budget will cover the cost of these enhanced ACA tax credits for everyone in our state who is currently using them to buy insurance. If Washington walks away from its commitment, Hawaii will step in to keep coverage affordable for our families, seniors, and children.”

If you support Josh’s effort to protect health insurance for thousands of families in Hawaii and strengthen our entire economy, please pitch in a small donation now. [[link removed]]

Mahalo,

Team Green

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PAID FOR BY JOSH GREEN FOR HAWAII
PO BOX 88 HONOLULU HI 96810

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