Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) on Wednesday criticized fellow Republicans for failing to repeal the Affordable Care Act, arguing the party now owns the healthcare law after taking control of the White House and Congress.
“Might as well call it Trumpcare now,” Massie wrote on X. “Our party has made no serious effort to repeal Obamacare and legalize affordable health insurance after taking control of the House, Senate & White House. Why? Because the current system enriches insurance and hospital companies.”
Might as well call it Trumpcare now.
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) July 8, 2026
Our party has made no serious effort to repeal Obamacare and legalize affordable health insurance after taking control of the House, Senate & White House.
Why? Because the current system enriches insurance and hospital companies. https://t.co/8sYEqY4kXH
Premium Hikes Renew Healthcare Debate
The Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, provides government-subsidized health insurance for Americans who do not receive coverage through an employer.
According to the Peterson-KFF analysis released Wednesday, insurers cited rising medical costs, higher spending on specialty drugs and GLP-1 weight-loss medications, broader medical inflation and a less healthy enrollee pool following the expiration of enhanced federal subsidies as the main reasons for requesting higher premiums. If approved, ACA premiums will have risen by more than 33% between 2025 and 2027.
Massie’s remarks reflect longstanding criticism from some Republicans who argue the party has not followed through on repeated promises to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act despite controlling both chambers of Congress and the presidency.
ACA Faces Broader Policy Scrutiny
The comments also come as the Trump administration continues tightening oversight of the Affordable Care Act marketplace. Earlier this week, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz said more than one million HealthCare.gov enrollees do not have a Social Security number on file as officials expand enrollment verification and review suspected fraud. Administration officials have also said nearly 2.9 million improper or questionable enrollments have already been removed or blocked as part of the broader review.
The debate comes as healthcare affordability has become a renewed political flashpoint. Earlier this week, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) criticized the Trump administration’s healthcare policies, arguing rising ACA premiums and proposals allowing insurers to offer patient loans would make coverage less affordable. The criticism followed new projections that ACA marketplace insurers are seeking a median 14% premium increase for 2027.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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