Thomas Massie is using a new round of premium warnings to argue that Obamacare has become a Republican problem. The Republican Party member came directly for President Donald Trump, lamenting the fact that nothing had actually been done to repeal Obamacare. The main bone of contention for Massie is that Trump and the Republican Party seem to now be upholding the very same healthcare that they had actually vowed to dismantle earlier, leaving Americans without a better option.
Thomas Massie’s Grievance With Obamacare
Thomas Massie’s comments to President Donald Trump come after insurers of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) announced that they were seeking a median premium increase in the double-digits. The ACA marketplace insurers proposed a 14% median premium increase for 2027 in preliminary filings. The new figures matter because they come after an already painful year, with a median finalized increase of 20% already for 2026.
If the 2027 requests are approved, then the typical marketplace premiums would rise by more than one-third between 2025 and 2027. That would be a major increase for consumers who are being covered on the individual market, especially those who earn too much to qualify for the richest subsidies.
The Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, provides government-subsidized health insurance to Americans who do not receive coverage through employers or public programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. This was instituted by President Barack Obama during his tenure, and the ACA was one of the main targets for republicans during the election bids. Now, with Trump already more than one year into office, there hasn’t been any definite proof of the ACA being repealed.
Interestingly, Massie’s criticism lands in the middle of a broader policy argument over who bears responsibility for the Affordable Care Act’s latest cost surge. Supporters of the law point to federal subsidies that still help to make most premium increases for lower- and middle-income households bearable. But there is also the subject of Obamacare getting even more expensive while politicians from both parties continue to prop up insurers instead of reworking the market.
The Kentucky Republican said on X that the program could now be called “Trumpcare.” He further added that “Our party has made no serious effort to repeal Obamacare and legalize affordable health insurance after taking control of the House, Senate and White House." He also argued that the current system disproportionately benefits insurance companies and hospital chains, as Republicans have made “no serious effort” to repeal the law and legalize affordable health insurance. Data shows that Obamacare insurers in 16 states and Washington, D.C. had already filed proposals across 77 companies. Most were seeking increases of 10% to 20%, and 20 insurers were asking for hikes above 20%.
Why Are Obamacare Premiums Rising Again?
So far, the major reasons that seem to be driving the rising Obamacare premiums are rising medical costs, the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits at the end of 2025, and some federal regulatory changes. The insurers also pointed to rising inflation and an increase in specialty drug expenses as major contributors to higher premiums. Also, they highlighted that the marketplace risk pool has become more expensive as healthier individuals have left while the sicker, higher-cost enrollees remain. With enhanced credits being gone, out-of-pocket premiums reportedly rose by 58% on average in 2026 for affected enrollees, while deductibles also rose by roughly $1,000 per person.
Obamacare was intended to provide affordable healthcare for Americans who could not afford it. However, critics like Thomas Massie argue that Obamacare has failed to achieve its original goal of delivering affordable coverage and that the system increasingly depends on government subsidies and insurer participation to remain stable. Turning the majority of his ire to the Republican Party, Massie stated that by refusing to repeal Obamacare, the party effectively shares ownership of the healthcare system and its rising costs.
If it passes, Reuters says the proposed 14% median increase would represent the second-highest requested premium hike for Obamacare since 2018. Experts had previously predicted that between 2025 and 2027, marketplace premiums are projected to rise by more than 33% in aggregate.
The rise in Obamacare premiums would affect millions of households in the US. Data shows that more than 19 million Americans receive health coverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplaces. But enrolment has declined by approximately 13% in 2026, partly due to the expiration of enhanced pandemic-era subsidies and rising healthcare costs.