{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.donnelly.senate.gov/newsroom/press/donnelly-statement-on-administrations-decision-to-end-critical-health-care-payments", "Donnelly Statement on Administration’s Decision to End Critical Health Care Payments", "2017-10-13", "2017", "2017-10", "Democrat", "House", "IN", "Joe Donnelly", "D000607", "www.donnelly.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Donnelly Statement on Administration\u2019s Decision to End Critical Health Care Payments\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, October 13, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tIndianapolis, Ind. \u2014U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly released the following statement after the Administration announced it will end important Cost Sharing Reduction (CSR) payments that help lower consumers\u2019 deductibles and co-pays. Non-partisan experts estimated that cutting off these payments would cause premiums to rise 15-20 percent. The announcement on CSR payments comes on the heels of the Administration\u2019s executive order yesterday that also could harm Hoosiers and further destabilize the individual marketplace.\r\n\r\nDonnelly said, \u201cThe Administration\u2019s decision to end critical cost-sharing payments is part of an ongoing effort to undermine access to affordable health care.\u00a0We need to fix the health care system, not make it worse. We should all agree that we want more accessible and affordable health care, and the way to achieve that is by working together.\u00a0This is about the health and financial well-being of families in Indiana and across the country, and I remain committed to working with Republicans and Democrats to improve health care.\u201d\r\n\r\nDonnelly has repeatedly urged the Administration to commit to providing stability to health insurance markets and working together on bipartisan solutions to reduce health care costs, expand access to care, and strengthen the health care system.\u00a0On Wednesday, Donnelly sent a letter to Hoosier Seema Verma \u2014 Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) \u2014 to reiterate that the Administration should do no harm and work on constructive, bipartisan efforts. This followed up on Donnelly\u2019s previous unanswered letter to Verma on July 31, in which he urged the Administration to make a public commitment to continue CSR payments.\r\n\r\nDonnelly\u2019s efforts came after repeated actions by the Administration to undermine the health care system, which have resulted in premiums rising by an average of 20 percent for Hoosiers on the individual health care marketplace. In particular, several insurance companies that offer coverage to Hoosiers, including two that left the market, cited uncertainty as it relates to the Administration\u2019s refusal to commit to making CSR payments, as a key reason for increasing prices or leaving the market. CareSource, for example, told Donnelly several months ago in a letter, \u201cIf there was certainty that CSR payments would be made, we estimate that there would be a 2.2% rate increase, in aggregate, from our 2017 to 2018 rates.\u201d\r\n\r\nOver the past several months, Donnelly has participated in bipartisan negotiations and listening sessions with health care experts, led by Senate HELP Committee Chairman Senator\u00a0Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Ranking member, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA). These ongoing bipartisan discussions are intended to address concerns with growing market instability and state flexibility.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.donnelly.senate.gov/newsroom/press/donnelly-statement-on-administrations-decision-to-end-critical-health-care-payments"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.7361617647111416, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}