Tori Baggot: How Premium Subsidies Keep Health Insurance Within Reach

Tori Baggot lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she is working to launch a small letterpress printing business. She designs and produces greeting cards, prints, and other paper goods on her own. With income tight during the early stages of the business, Tori and her husband are also planning for the future. “We hope to start a family soon,” she said.

To stay healthy while managing a chronic illness, Tori relies on affordable coverage through Pennsylvania’s state-based marketplace, known as Pennie. “I am entering into my second year of penny coverage, and it is without a doubt the right choice for my circumstances.” She explained that her husband’s employer-based insurance would cost over $600 a month just for her alone. “Through Pennie, I have a plan that meets all of my needs that is especially important because I have a chronic illness that requires regular specialist visits, testing, and medications.”

Her current plan also covers prenatal care and family planning. “That is a huge relief,” she said. Right now, Tori pays $197 a month for her plan, but that affordability depends on federal subsidies. “If the subsidy enhancements are not extended, I’ll pay $2,400 more per year than I’m paying now.”

The subsidy enhancements, also known as Premium Tax Credits, offer vital financial assistance to Pennsylvanians, and Americans across the nation, enrolling in health insurance. Without them, consumers could be forced to go uninsured, limiting their access to vital health care.

Tori said she and her husband already live frugally, and losing the subsidies would force them to make hard decisions. “Without these subsidies, my choices for health insurance would involve choosing less coverage or financial sacrifices elsewhere.”

The consequences would be significant. “The financial burden of paying for the health care that I need would involve a second job, pushing back or rethinking starting a family, and possibly not being able to afford the care that keeps me healthy as a person with chronic illness.” She added, “My life would instantly become harder if Congress fails to renew these subsidies.”