LANSING — As health care prices skyrocket in Michigan because John James and Republicans refused to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits by the end of 2025, the House of Representative is set to vote today on a bill that would extend the ACA tax credits for three years—but notably, James has refused to call on the tax credits to be extended, did not sign onto the bipartisan petition that forced a vote, and did not vote to advance the bill last night.
James was not one of the nine House Republicans who voted to advance the ACA extension bill last night nor one of the four Republicans who signed onto the discharge petition.
“Because of John James, Michiganders are facing higher costs and many are making the difficult decision to forgo health coverage altogether,” said Michigan Democratic Party spokesperson Derrick Honeyman. “James and the entire Republican field, including Aric Nesbitt, Tom Leonard, and Mike Cox, all supported Trump’s disastrous budget law that failed to extend the ACA tax credits in the first place and caused prices to rise. Higher costs, less coverage, and worse outcomes for Michigan families—that’s the stark reality of the Republican health care crisis, and whoever Republicans end up nominating for governor, they’ll own these disastrous price hikes that are hurting Michiganders and ripping away coverage for people across the state.”
Each of the Republican candidates for governor have supported the disastrous GOP budget law that failed to extend the ACA tax credits and is now causing premiums to rise by an average of 114%—with James even casting one of the deciding votes, Aric Nesbitt calling the law a “win,” Tom Leonard saying ‘Yes, I support that. 100%’ when asked about cuts to Medicaid, and Mike Cox cheering the law’s passage.
James previously called for repealing the ACA and labeled it a “monstrosity,” Cox gleefully declared how he “led the fight” against the ACA, and Nesbitt and Leonard both voted against expanding Medicaid through the ACA in 2013.
James has recently dodged questions on the health care price hikes and even kept the door open to ending Medicaid expansion entirely in Michigan. In December, James appeared at Republican Sen. Rick Scott’s policy summit, where Scott pushed his extreme proposal to end ACA tax credits and replace them with “Trump Health Freedom Accounts.” The non-partisan Kaiser Family Foundation noted that Scott’s proposal could likely cause state ACA marketplaces to collapse.
Read more below on the unfolding Republican health care crisis that James has refused to act on:
WDIV Detroit: Rising ACA premiums put lifesaving care out of reach for Michigan patients
- For Tim Abbas, the Affordable Care Act insurance plan has been more than just coverage — it’s been a lifeline. When his brain tumor progressed to grade four, the plan allowed him to access a crucial clinical trial at an out-of-state hospital. But now, as enhanced premium tax credits are set to expire on December 31, the Abbas family faces a difficult choice.
- Ashley McVay, who has stage four colon cancer, expressed concern about the premium increases. “Nobody really can afford any jump in anything,” she said. “I believe it needs to stay what it was.”
Michigan Public: Michiganders face higher health insurance premiums this new year
- As the new year rings in, more than 20 million Americans are facing much higher health insurance costs, including nearly 500,000 Michiganders enrolled in marketplace plans.
Detroit Free Press: Michigan doctors say these 5 changes are coming to health care in 2026
- When Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in July, it eliminated the ACA’s enhanced subsidies. That means starting Jan. 1, 2026, monthly premiums are expected to rise by an average of 114%.
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