The federal government shutdown on October 1, warned that 50,000 Americans could die each year if Democrats agree to the removal of Affordable Care Act subsidies. That removal has been proposed by Republicans in their Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the federal government. He has been attributing that number to a One of the study鈥檚 authors, Yale epidemiologist , says she and her team have noticed.
鈥淚t鈥檚 heartening that he [Sanders] is basing his policy decisions and stances on evidence,鈥� she said. 鈥� by .鈥�
How researchers reached 50,000 deaths a year
Galvani, a professor at the Yale School of Public Health, confirmed that Sanders鈥� figure aligns with her team鈥檚 findings.
鈥淎ccording to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, 15 million people are poised to lose their health insurance.鈥�
She explained that uninsured people face a 40% higher risk of death than those with coverage.
鈥淚f you have cancer but don鈥檛 have access to chemotherapy you need, you鈥檒l likely die,鈥� Galvani said. Her team applied that elevated risk to the Congressional Budget Office projections, taking into account age and population health trends.
Beyond mortality: widespread health and economic fallout
The study鈥檚 findings extend beyond mortality. Among those losing coverage, Galvani鈥檚 team projected 130,000 untreated diabetes cases, 101,000 untreated substance-use disorders, 165,000 unmanaged hypertension cases, and more than 200,000 untreated mental illnesses.
鈥淲hen people lose coverage, they鈥檙e more likely to delay care until conditions become severe and expensive,鈥� she said. 鈥淢ore families will face crushing medical debt and a reduced capacity to remain in the workforce.鈥�
Hospitals, particularly in rural areas dependent on Medicaid funding, could face new financial strain as uncompensated care rises, potentially triggering facility closures and deeper access gaps.
Shutdown politics and the cost of inaction
With the federal government shut down amid the political standoff over funding and health care policy, Galvani said the fight underscores the stakes. 鈥淚t鈥檚 striking that this is what it takes to try to safeguard healthcare for millions of Americans,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut what is more important than saving lives? My perspective is that this is a fight worth fighting.鈥�
