Across red America, a growing number of Donald Trump voters are realizing that gutting the Affordable Care Act without a clear replacement might not have been such a great idea. As Republican lawmakers move closer to letting key ACA subsidies expire at the end of the year, many of the people now facing steep premium hikes are the same voters who helped put Trump back in the White House.
In Pennsylvania, hairstylist Chrissy Meehan says she’s stunned by what’s happening. The 51-year-old has a neck condition that requires surgery and relies on insurance she gets through the state marketplace. “I work hard, and I’m trying to survive and do it the right way and pay my way,” Meehan told the Associated Press. “I don’t want free. I just want something affordable for my income.”
Meehan says she voted for Trump last year but now feels almost embarrassed. “The Republican-led government hasn’t renewed the subsidies that help me afford my coverage,” she said. Without those subsidies, her insurance will soon be out of reach.
In Florida, insurance agent Alan Reynolds says his family is facing the same kind of shock. His wife’s subsidy is set to expire, which means her monthly premium will more than double—from about $500 to over $1,200. “I voted for Trump,” Reynolds told The Washington Post. “I didn’t expect this.”
That surprise is widespread. The Affordable Care Act, often criticized by Republicans, has quietly become a lifeline for millions of working-class Americans. Many of them live in conservative states that overwhelmingly voted for Trump. Now, with subsidies on the chopping block, those same communities are bracing for devastating financial hits.
In Idaho, retired schoolteacher Bob McMichael and his wife are already planning for the worst. They’re both too young for Medicare and rely on an ACA plan that costs about $1,800 a month—though subsidies keep their payment to just $50. If those subsidies disappear, their premiums will soar.
“If that happens, we’ll have to drop our coverage,” McMichael told the Idaho Statesman. “The plan we chose last year was the most affordable option, other than not having health care.”
McMichael spent his career teaching in Council, Idaho, a town in a county that voted overwhelmingly for Trump. Even if he didn’t vote Republican himself, he’s now paying the price for his community’s choice.
The consequences are serious. Health experts warn that if the subsidies expire, many families will be forced to choose between paying for groceries and maintaining health coverage. Some will go without care altogether, and lives will be lost as a result.
The irony is that polls show a majority of Trump supporters want to keep the ACA subsidies. They might dislike the law in theory, but they depend on it in practice. And now, as premiums rise and coverage slips away, many are questioning how it got to this point.
For Democrats, this could be an opportunity to regain ground by focusing on cost-of-living and healthcare affordability. It may not win over every diehard Trump supporter, but even a small shift could change the political map.
As for voters like Meehan and Reynolds, their frustration is clear—and personal. “I didn’t expect this,” Reynolds said. And for many Americans who believed campaign promises about cheaper, better healthcare, that realization is hitting hard.