Category: News

“For one Ohio woman, monthly premiums have skyrocketed to $1,700 a month”

Columbus, Ohio — New reporting shows how devastating Jon Husted’s health care crisis has become for Ohio families. More than half a million Ohioans are bracing for massive premium hikes, with one woman’s bill increasing to $1,700 a month.

Despite this, Husted voted eight times against lowering health care costs and continues to attack the ACA tax credits that Ohioans rely on, claiming they are “not the way to go about it.”

Read more about Jon Husted’s health care crisis:

Scripps News: How eliminating government subsidies could impact those who rely on the Affordable Care Act

• We first heard from Griffith about a month ago, when she thought her ACA premiums would go from $240/month to $1,200/month. However, after looking into it further, she said it’s closer to $1,700/month.

• “Health care should never be a political issue,” said Griffith. “It should be affordable. People in this country need health care. If you don’t have it, you go bankrupt.”

• Griffith said she retired a bit early to take care of her mom. She said that if the proposed ACA government subsidies are cut, they’ll have to find the money somewhere else.

• “We’ll have to go into savings. We’ll have to look at retirement accounts,” said Griffith.

• For Griffith, she said the lower-cost ACA plan has been a lifeline for her and so many others that Congress has to figure out soon.

WHIO: Millions of Ohioans worried about possible increase in ACA subsidies

• About 24 million Americans get their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace. As reported on News Center 7 Daybreak, over 90 percent currently receive some tax credit, which helps keep those premiums down. They are scheduled to expire at the end of the year.

• For Joe Stamps, owner of Stamps of Approval Hair Studio, that means a premium of around $500 a month.

• Emma Wager is a senior analyst for the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF). Her group estimates that the average person who buys insurance through the ACA market will see their premiums more than double in the New Year.

• A 60-year-old couple will see their plan skyrocket by over 250 percent or around $1,500 per month for the plan, according to KFF.

• Stamps is one of 4 million people that KFF estimates will go without full insurance if the tax credits expire.

• “That’s just really one day at a time, trusting God to take care of me, because the system does not seem to work for you, but they will use you to make money from you,” he said. “So, it’s just one of those things.”

###

The post NEW REPORTING: Health Care Costs Soar Thanks to Jon Husted’s Health Care Crisis appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

Mediaite: ‘ENOUGH’: Meghan McCain Outraged at Vivek Ramaswamy’s Deleted Plan for Year-Round School

“Republican commentator Meghan McCain branded Vivek Ramaswamy’s (R) plan to keep kids in school year-round as “absolutely insane.””

“McCain then eviscerated the idea.

“This is an absolutely insane idea – completely removing the importance of family bonding time and anything non academic related.”

The New Republic: Dem Shares Vivek Ramaswamy Video So Dumb, His Fans Think It’s AI

“MAGA Republicans accused a Democrat running against Vivek Ramawamy for Ohio governor of posting an AI-generated video of the DOGE czar-for-a-day pitching a truly terrible policy idea. Too bad for them, because the video was actually real.”

“That proposal was so blatantly bad that Republicans immediately started to accuse Acton of sharing a fake video. Far-right commentator Tim Pool claimed on his show Tuesday that the video Acton shared was AI and that the audio had been “replaced.””

“It turns out, the only one manipulating the video was Ramaswamy. The full video was originally posted to Ramaswamy’s social media accounts before being removed. Another version of the video was later reposted without the Republican’s plan to extend school hours, according to The Columbus Dispatch.”

Huffington Post: Vivek Ramaswamy Pitches Idea So Extreme Supporters Think His Opponent Made AI Video

“Conservatives had an extreme reaction to a video posted by Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy on Monday ― with many convinced it must be AI.”

“Even worse for Ramaswamy: One of the ideas proposed in the clip was apparently so extreme that people inclined to support his candidacy were convinced the video was a smear made by his Democratic opponent, Dr. Amy Acton.”

“Ramaswamy tried to counter the controversy by posting another video in which he accused Democrats like Acton of “distorting my position” on education, but didn’t mention the year-round proposal from the earlier video.”

“This isn’t the first time Ramaswamy’s views about the American education system have come back to bite him….Last December, he was heavily criticized after declaring that “American culture has venerated mediocrity over excellence for way too long,” and that a “culture that celebrates the prom queen over the math olympiad champ, or the jock over the valedictorian, will not produce the best engineers.”

The Daily Beast: MAGA Insists Real Vivek Ramaswamy Policy Proposal Is AI

“MAGA has tried to excuse a real clip of Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy proposing “year-round” school as AI.”

“The video was posted on Monday afternoon and was up for several hours before it was deleted and replaced with a version that removed Ramaswamy’s year-round school proposal. He did, however, leave the original up on his Threads account. It is unclear why Ramaswamy deleted the proposal from his other platforms.”

Yahoo: Fact Check: Gubernatorial Opponent Amy Acton Did NOT Spread A Fake Video Of Vivek Ramaswamy Advocating Year-Round School — He Did Say It

“Did Ohio Democrat Amy Acton spread a fake video of Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy advocating year-round school, as social media posts claim? No, that’s not true:”

The Center Square: Ramaswamy edits video initially proposing year-round school

“Ohio Republican governor candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is quickly backing away from an idea to send children to school year-round and extend the school day.”

“Republicans initially claimed that Acton’s camp created the video using deepfake AI, but the campaign confirmed to the Columbus Dispatch that the video was real.”

“The video did not include any discussion of increased taxpayer costs for year-round schools or an extended school day.”

###

The post ICYMI: Vivek Ramaswamy Slammed for “Insane,” Video “So Dumb, his Fans Think it’s AI” appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

Columbus, Ohio- After Vivek Ramaswamy was slammed for his out-of-touch video suggesting that making school year round was the best way to help working families, his supporters claimed the video was fake. Ramaswamy deleted and reposted the video in a desperate attempt at damage control, but confirmed the video was real.

“Even Ramaswamy’s biggest supporters know what voters across the state are learning now: Ramaswamy is a billionaire who doesn’t understand what Ohioans are going through while he’s flying cross country on a private jet,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Katie Seewer. “His policies are clearly out-of-touch and wrong for Ohio, which is why his biggest fans embarrassingly thought his video was AI.”

Read more: 

The New Republic: Dem Shares Vivek Ramaswamy Video So Dumb, His Fans Think It’s AI

• MAGA Republicans accused a Democrat running against Vivek Ramawamy for Ohio governor of posting an AI-generated video of the DOGE czar-for-a-day pitching a truly terrible policy idea. Too bad for them, because the video was actually real.

• Former Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton, a Democratic primary candidate for governor in Ohio, shared a clip on X Monday that showed Ramaswamy pitching an outrageous idea to lower the cost of childcare.

• “Make parenting more affordable by making school year-round and going to four o’clock instead of three o’clock, so you don’t have to pay for childcare,” Ramaswamy said in the video.

• That proposal was so blatantly bad that Republicans immediately started to accuse Acton of sharing a fake video. Far-right commentator Tim Pool claimed on his show Tuesday that the video Acton shared was AI and that the audio had been “replaced.”

• It turns out, the only one manipulating the video was Ramaswamy. The full video was originally posted to Ramaswamy’s social media accounts before being removed. Another version of the video was later reposted without the Republican’s plan to extend school hours, according to The Columbus Dispatch.

###

The post Vivek Ramaswamy’s Ideas Are So Bad His Supporters Hope It’s Fake appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

Columbus, Ohio — Jon Husted is trying to rewrite his record after he already voted eight times this year against lowering health care costs. Because of Husted’s health care crisis, premiums are set to skyrocket for more than half a million Ohioans.

Husted claims the ACA tax credits have done “nothing to drive down the cost of health care” and are “not the way to go about it” — even as Ohio families brace for premiums that could double or triple next year.

See For Yourself:

MeidasTouch News: Jon Husted Claims to Support Extending ACA Subsidies After Voting to Kill Them Eight Times

• U.S. Senator Jon Husted (R-OH) said while speaking at Columbus State this week that he hoped to find a bipartisan solution to extending ACA health insurance subsidies which are now scheduled to be cancelled as part of the Republican plan to reopen the federal government. 

• But Husted had the opportunity to extend the ACA subsidies multiple times during the government shutdown debate and repeatedly voted against them.

• Husted has been a staunch opponent of the ACA, also known as Obamacare, for his short time in the U.S. Senate, and voted against extending premium subsidies eight times as part of the Republican bill to reopen the government.

• The expiration of those subsidies will result in insurance premiums increasing for Americans by 100%-150%

• Husted said that ACA subsidies were a temporary bailout of a failed Obamacare system.

• Husted claimed, without evidence, that there may be as much as $30 billion in fraud from ACA subsidies.

• ACA subsidies help 583,000 Ohioans afford health insurance. At a time when Americans are already struggling to make ends meet in a failing Trump economy, Jon Husted voted repeatedly to skyrocket the cost of healthcare for his constituents.

Heartland Signal: Months of opposition ignored: Husted performs U-turn on ACA tax credit extension

• On Monday, U.S. Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH) called for a bipartisan solution on extending the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits, contradicting months of voting and speaking out against extension attempts.

• Husted’s words are a complete reversal of his actions and words over the last year. During a radio interview on “The Brian Thomas Morning Show” last month, Husted referred to the ACA tax credits as a “pandemic failure” and that they do nothing to drive down the cost of health care.

• If the tax credits expire at the end of 2025, health insurance premiums are expected to significantly increase for millions of Americans. Average premiums in Ohio are projected to spike by 83%.

• When asked if he could do something to extend the subsidies by Spectrum News, Husted opted to blame the Democrats for their temporary solution.

###

The post What Ohioans Are Reading: Jon Husted Voted 8 Times Against Lowering Health Care Costs appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

Columbus, Ohio — On National Rural Health Day, rural communities across Ohio are sounding the alarm about devastating health care cuts championed by Senator Jon Husted. Husted cast the deciding vote for the largest cut to Medicaid in history, ripping coverage from 490,000 Ohioans and putting at least eleven rural Ohio hospitals on the brink of closure.

Ohio Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Clyde released the following statement:

“Jon Husted’s health care cuts are pushing rural hospitals over the edge and ripping health care away from nearly half a million Ohioans. Rural families deserve better than a politician that will vote to gut their healthcare — all to give massive tax breaks for billionaires and corporations.”

Jon Husted Championed Devastating Cuts to Rural Hospitals:

• Jon Husted championed devastating cuts to health care to fund tax breaks for billionaires and corporations — ripping coverage from 490,000 Ohioans and putting at least eleven rural Ohio hospitals on the brink of closure.

• According to reports, at least two hospitals in Ohio are already at risk of closing and many others are “being forced to eliminate parts of the services they provide” in Southeast Ohio, which has the highest rates of Medicaid recipients than any other part of the state.

• Jon Husted called the cuts to health care “purposeful” and said he “loves doing that kind of stuff,” even as families, seniors, and rural communities across Ohio face losing life saving coverage.

• While Husted is now claiming he is open to a bipartisan solution to extend the ACA tax credits, he voted eight times this year against proposals that would protect affordable health care and claimed the ACA tax credits are “not the way to go about it.”

###

The post On National Rural Health Day, Ohioans Face Closing Hospitals Under Jon Husted’s Health Care Crisis appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

Columbus, Ohio- Ohioans have grown used to Vivek Ramaswamy’s string of lies as he desperately attempts to walk back his stance on releasing the Epstein files. He called for the release of the files 11 times while running for president, then went silent for nearly two years. 

“Ohioans need a governor who will stand up for them even when it’s not easy. Vivek Ramaswamy shouldn’t need a permission slip to speak out against sexual abuse,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Katie Seewer. “When asked about the Epstein files Ramaswamy ran away from reporters and laughably claimed he’s focused on ‘state issues’ while flying to campaign stops in Virginia and New Jersey on his private jet. His 11th hour admission that exposing pedophiles is something he supports will be seen by voters as the transparent political calculation that it is.”

This isn’t even the first time Ramaswamy has desperately tried to backpedal away from his out-of-touch stances. He already revealed his true feelings about Ohioans when he called them “lazy” and “mediocre and has not apologized. Even his own party knows Ramaswamy is deeply out of touch with Ohioans and voters will reject him in 2026.

###

The post Vivek Ramaswamy Breaks Nearly Two Years of Silence to Lie About Epstein Files appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

Columbus, Ohio — With health care premiums set to skyrocket for more than half a million Ohioans, Jon Husted is now claiming he is open to a bipartisan solution to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits. But his record tells a different story: Husted has voted eight times this year against proposals that would protect affordable health care for Ohio families.

Husted has claimed the ACA tax credits have done “nothing to drive down the cost of health care” and are “not the way to go about it” — even as Ohio families brace for premiums that could double or triple next year.

See For Yourself the Effects of Husted’s Health Care Crisis:

WSYX: Ohio families could see ACA premiums double in 2026

• Thousands of Ohio families who rely on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for health insurance could soon see their premiums double if Congress fails to renew a key federal subsidy set to expire next year.

• The enhanced premium tax credits, federal subsidies that help millions of Americans afford health coverage, are scheduled to end in 2025. Without action from lawmakers, many Ohioans could face steep cost increases as early as 2026.

• According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, more than 500,000 Ohioans received enhanced premium tax credits this year. A report from KFF estimates that average monthly premiums could rise from about $888 in 2025 to more than $1,900 in 2026 if the subsidies lapse.

• For families like Deshauna and Jordan Pugh, who lost their jobs in October, the uncertainty around ACA premiums adds to growing financial strain. “I’m seeing people post their insurance prices going up $2,000 a month,” Deshauna said.

• A spokesperson for [Senator] Jon Husted said the ACA “has failed to make healthcare more affordable.”

###

The post Ohio Families Brace for Skyrocketing Premiums Thanks to Husted’s Health Care Crisis appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

Columbus, Ohio — For 300 days in the Senate, Jon Husted has protected a pedophile and covered for the rich and powerful, voting in September to block the release of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. 

Now, after months of silence, Husted is trying to act tough — but his record is clear: he spent nearly a year protecting abusers and burying the truth. 

Ohio Democratic Party Senior Communications Advisor Tony Wen released the following statement:

“Jon Husted voted to keep the Epstein files secret to protect the rich and powerful. Now, he is trying to rewrite history and cover it up. Ohioans won’t forget that Husted sided with abusers and pedophiles over the victims of Epstein’s horrific crimes.”

###

The post After 300 Days Protecting a Pedophile, Jon Husted Tries to Act Tough appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

Columbus, Ohio — While Jon Husted now claims he is open to a bipartisan solution to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, his record proves just the opposite. Husted has voted eight times this year against proposals that would stop health care premiums from skyrocketing for an estimated 583,000 Ohioans.

Ohio Democratic Party Senior Communications Advisor Tony Wen released the following statement:

“Jon Husted voted eight times to make health care more expensive for Ohio families — all to fund tax breaks for billionaires and corporations. Now, because of Husted’s health care crisis, more than half a million Ohioans are bracing for their premiums to double or triple next year.” 

Jon Husted’s Long Record of Driving Up Health Care Costs:

• More than half a million Ohioans could soon see their healthcare premiums get more expensive or risk losing coverage if the Affordable Care Act tax credits expire at the end of this year. Jon Husted voted 8 times against lowering premium costs for Ohio families. 

• Jon Husted claimed the ACA tax credits have done “nothing to drive down the cost of health care.” 

• When asked how best to help working families afford health insurance, Jon Husted said the ACA tax credits were “not the way to go about it.”

• Jon Husted said he is “happy to be a contributor” to the skyrocketing health care costs. 

###

The post FACT CHECK: Jon Husted’s Votes Are Driving Up Health Care Costs Across Ohio appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

Columbus, Ohio– Over the weekend, Vivek Ramaswamy visited a food bank in Dayton, and his message to hungry children was to learn to read faster. Here’s what he said when asked how to combat childhood hunger:

“By the end of third grade if you’re reading, you are basically statistically near impossible…to end up in poverty.”

“We shouldn’t be surprised that an out of touch billionaire who flies around on a private jet and says Ohio workers are lazy and mediocre is arguing that the root cause of childhood hunger is because kids aren’t learning how to read fast enough,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Katie Seewer. “The more Vivek Ramaswamy opens his mouth, the more Ohioans see that he simply doesn’t understand what they’re struggling with and his endless stream of nonsense is designed to distract from the fact that as Governor he would make life better for billionaires like himself while the rest of us continue struggling with the cost of living.”

Ramaswamy already revealed his true feelings about Ohioans when he called them “lazy” and “mediocre.” He wants to gut public education and dismantle teachers’ unions. Even his own party knows Ramaswmy is deeply out of touch with Ohioans and voters will reject him in 2026.

###

The post WATCH: Vivek Ramaswamy Tells Hungry Kids to Learn to Read Faster appeared first on Ohio Democrats.