Press Releases

Responding to reports of health insurance premium increases in the individual market in Maine and across the country, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today released the following statement:

“The plain truth is that President Trump and Republicans in Congress have made it their mission to destabilize the Affordable Care Act at the expense of Mainers who rely on its protections. These preliminary filings clearly state that next year’s premium increases are a result of their actions over the past 18 months – including repealing the individual mandate and expanding access to short-term junk plans.

Maine families need relief now. There’s a lot of work to be done – we should be focusing on stabilizing the individual market, lowering premiums and deductibles, getting skyrocketing prescription drug costs under control, and making real progress toward universal health care. Instead, the Administration is acting in bad faith and undermining our entire health care system.”

Pingree has been an outspoken opponent of Republican efforts to repeal or undermine the Affordable Care Act, including the tax law’s repeal of the individual mandate and proposals for short-term junk plans that will roll back patient protections. These initiatives are significant drivers of the increases announced today and ultimately contribute to the loss of access to health insurance for millions of Americans.