President Donald Trump signed the appropriations bill late Wednesday night that funds the government through Jan. 30, ending the 43-day government shutdown.
However, Hawaiʻi’s congressional delegation joined most of their fellow Democrats in voting against the bill, largely because it did not include expansions to enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies.
“In no way is it the victory. We are reopening government, we're getting our federal workers the back pay they absolutely deserve,” U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda said.
“They should never have been in this situation, but we're slamming the door shut when it comes to access to affordable health coverage and health care for millions of Americans.”
The enhanced subsidies for those who use the Affordable Care Act expire this year, so residents currently shopping for next year’s policy will likely see a spike in the cost of their health insurance.
For example, a family of four making $100,000 a year will pay over $350 more a month for health insurance through the ACA.
Hawaiʻi Insurance Commissioner Scott Saiki explained that the cost increases could push residents to forgo health insurance.
“Younger, able-bodied people may just decide that they will forego medical insurance,” he said. “At this point, what we're really, really concerned about are the other individuals who may be older, who really do require medical insurance.”
About 23,000 people in Hawaiʻi get their insurance through the Affordable Care Act. Many are small business owners, gig workers, or those who work on commissions where their employer is not required to provide health insurance.
Hawaiʻi has the second-lowest rate of uninsured people in the country. However, Saiki was concerned that the increased costs could lead to more uninsured Hawaiʻi residents.
“We all know what happens when you have more uninsured people. They end up in the emergency rooms and then those costs are passed on, not just the hospitals and providers, but they're passed on to all residents in the state,” he said. “So in the end, we're all paying a portion of this uninsured cost.”
Tokuda heard from constituents already seeing the higher prices since enrollment started this month. She added that House Democrats want to force a vote on their bill that would extend the ACA’s enhanced subsidies for another three years before Jan. 30, which is when funding would next run out.
“When we think about when people are making decisions on whether or not they can re-enroll, they can't wait till Jan. 30. They have to make a decision by the end of the year,” she said.
When this appropriations bill runs out on Jan. 30, Tokuda was adamant that another government shutdown “can’t be an option.”
“That was a choice Republicans made to force the longest shutdown in government history to happen. We cannot allow them to do it again,” she continued.
“We need to work in earnest throughout this month, the next through into January to make sure that our federal workers and the people of this country don't have to endure the hardship and pain they've just went through, again.”
As part of the funding resolution, federal workers will receive back pay, even those who were furloughed. Those who were fired during the shutdown will also need to be reinstated. Paychecks are expected to go out starting on Saturday through Nov.19.
Certain departments will get their regular pay first, and then back pay will be added to the next paycheck cycle.
Separately, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that air traffic controllers will get 70% of their backpay within the next day or two, and the rest at the end of next week.
