Name: Utah Rep. Kennedy acknowledges crisis of healthcare premiums
Uploaded: 2025-11-04T04:42:11.625Z
Duration: 3 min 24 s
Description: Utah representative Mike Kennedy, a practicing physician, acknowledges crisis of healthcare premiums and has accused the Democrats of using the government against the American people.

Utah representative Mike Kennedy, a practicing physician, acknowledges crisis of healthcare premiums and has accused the Democrats of using the government against the American people.

Salt Lake City

Utah Representative Mike Kennedy, who is also a physician, spoke with FOX 13 News about the significant rise in healthcare premiums and the challenges posed by the current government shutdown. Kennedy highlighted the impact on self-employed individuals in Utah and expressed frustration that the shutdown has halted legislative discussions on healthcare solutions.

During the interview, Kennedy referenced data suggesting most recipients of enhanced premium tax credits would not see large increases, but acknowledged reports indicating some families could face substantial premium hikes. Kennedy stated he had not communicated with Democratic colleagues since the shutdown began and supports waiting for Senate action before the House reconvenes.

Utah Rep. Kennedy acknowledges crisis of healthcare premiums

Hi, FOX 13 News Anchor Max Roth joining you in the studio now. The impetus for the government shutdown is that health care premiums are skyrocketing and the hard numbers are available this week. When I learned third district representative Mike Kennedy would be up for talking today, I jumped at the chance and glad I did. Kennedy, a doctor, came ready to talk about health care. I've been discussing as a doctor these policy debates on health care for more than a year. This morning I was thinking about health insurance and which Utahns might be hurting. The Utah Department of Workforce Services keeps track of a group called non-employers, a weird word that basically means a sole proprietor, someone self-employed. They are us and our neighbors. Take 100 random residents from any county in Utah and anywhere from 6 to 17 of them will be self-employed. Kennedy represents this swath of the state and he is worried about their health care. I was intent, we were intent on having those conversations and the government has been shut down. We can't have conversations and committees in regular order when the government is not functioning. Their option for health insurance just got a lot more expensive and Congressman Kennedy was remarkably willing to consider some facts. I'm not going to stand for that. I have eight children. I know what temper tantrums look like and these are important issues, far more than just a child throwing a temper tantrum. But I'm not going to reward positive behavior trying to act like everything's normal when this shutdown is a nuclear option and it's not something that should be used against the American people. But a lot of your constituents have eight children and they're going to lose their health insurance. They are not going to lose their health insurance. The Wall Street Journal published an article last week that suggested 93% of the people that receive these enhanced premium tax credits are going to receive them just like usual and their premiums are not going to be more than $50 a month in spite of what anecdotal evidence is brought by the media. There are going to be some, look at the Wall Street, have you read the Wall Street Journal article from last week? No, I read the actual numbers from the government. It's very clear. Very clear what? That the premiums are more than doubling. For how many people? I've got the numbers right here. So the Wall Street Journal, that's the article that I've, send those, I'd love to look at those numbers. Tell me about them. Yeah, from KFF Health, a family of four. KFF Health says a family of four earning $55,000 a year would have paid an average of about $462 this year for a standard plan. Next year, they will pay about $2,866. I've heard from my constituents about that as well. And part of what I've advocated on a policy level, and I appreciate the question and the discussion is we should have glide paths for these kinds of programs. And in fact, the Democrats going back to 2021, when they set this up, they're the ones that set the deadline for the end of this year. I asked Kennedy if he'd had any conversations with Democratic colleagues since the shutdown began. He said, no, he hadn't reached out to them, nor they to him. He does support the House remaining out of session until the Senate makes a decision. In Studio, Max Roth, FOX 13 News, Utah.

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