Press Release: Gov. Evers Delivers Radio Address, Slams President Trump and Republicans for Kicking Thousands of Wisconsinites Off their Healthcare Coverage due to Sky-High Costs

State of Wisconsin sent this bulletin at 08/13/2026 12:45 PM CDT
Office of Governor Tony Evers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 13, 2026
Contact: GovPress@wisconsin.gov 
 
Gov. Evers Delivers Radio Address, Slams President Trump and Congressional Republicans for Kicking Thousands of Wisconsinites Off their Healthcare Coverage due to Sky-High Costs
After record-breaking years of enrollment, new report shows ACA enrollment dropped in Wisconsin after Republicans voted to end tax credits that made healthcare coverage more affordable for millions of Americans to give tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires
Audio File of Radio Address.

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today slammed President Donald J. Trump and Republicans in Congress for kicking thousands of Wisconsinites off their healthcare coverage on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to pay for tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires by failing to extend tax credits that made healthcare more affordable for millions of Americans. After back-to-back record-breaking years of enrollment in the ACA in Wisconsin, a new report found that enrollment fell in Wisconsin by 16 percent in 2026 and dropped nationwide in every state but New Mexico. The drop comes as, last December, President Trump and Republicans in Congress—including every Republican member of Wisconsin’s Congressional delegation, who have largely voted with President Trump on his signature policies—ended the tax credits that made healthcare coverage more affordable for millions of Americans in order to give tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires, causing healthcare coverage costs to skyrocket and pricing families out of their coverage. The number of people who will be kicked off their health insurance is expected to increase to nearly 4 million Americans by 2027.

According to the report, this is the first time in seven years enrollment in the ACA has dropped nationwide, with a 12 percent drop in enrollment nationally, resulting in nearly 3 million fewer Americans enrolling in healthcare coverage through the ACA, including 45,000 Wisconsinites. 

Additionally, last month, Gov. Evers slammed President Trump and Republicans in Congress after another recently released report that found that, as of June 30, 2026, the average American household has spent about $2,072 more on gas, electricity, and tariff-affected goods since President Trump took office for his second term. That total increases to $3,569 for a typical household if they receive health insurance through the ACA marketplace. According to the report, in Wisconsin, households have paid roughly $2,035 and $3,548 more during this time period, respectively, with costs only expected to increase during the remainder of the year.

A transcript of Gov. Evers’ radio address is below.

Hey there, folks! Governor Tony Evers here.

For the past year and a half, President Trump and Republicans in Congress have run roughshod over our economy, enacting disastrous foreign and economic policies that have caused costs to go through the roof.

Gas, groceries, school supplies—you name it, you’re paying more for it, and that includes healthcare, too.

Since the start of President Trump’s second term, Wisconsinites, like small business owners, farmers, and seniors, who get their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act are paying over $3,500 more for coverage.

That number is only expected to go up, and folks, we’re seeing the results.

After record-breaking years of enrollment in the ACA, Wisconsin saw a 16 percent drop in folks enrolled, and we weren’t the only ones.

Every state but one saw a drop in ACA enrollment this year after Republicans in Congress failed to extend the tax credits that made healthcare coverage more affordable for millions of Americans to give tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires.

Here in Wisconsin, that’s about 45,000 Wisconsinites who have been priced out and kicked off their health insurance thanks to President Trump and Republicans in Congress, including every Republican member from Wisconsin.

Since Day One, we’ve been working to ensure Wisconsinites can easily access quality, affordable healthcare, but that progress has been sent backwards by Republicans in D.C., who continue to give tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires instead of addressing the needs of working families and folks.

Wisconsinites cannot afford to have more reckless policy decisions made by President Trump and Congressional Republicans that further jeopardize folks’ ability to put food on the table or access the essential care they need. Period.

Here in Wisconsin, we’re going to keep working to do everything we can to make healthcare more affordable and accessible, not more expensive or harder to find. Thank you.
 
An online version of this release is available here.
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