CNN’s Kaitlan Collins stopped House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan in his tracks just as he tried to deflect her questions about what options the GOP has in mind to replace the Affordable Care Act, particularly amid the party’s shutdown standoff with the Democrats.
“By the way, the subsidy, 40% of the people don’t even use it, and the individual Americans don’t know it goes directly to the insurance company and many of those people have never had a claim,” Jordan said to Collins during a sit-down interview on Tuesday. “That is a concern with how this thing works. The Democrats’ plan is let’s extend it another two years. Well, that makes no sense. Let’s have a debate on how we can do healthcare better.”
Collins jumped in to agree that subsidies do go to insurance companies, but for good reason.
“That’s true that it goes to the insurance companies, but that helps keep the premiums low because it pays off the balance basically, and the concern
— disagree or agree with the subsidies themselves — is that if premiums jump, people can’t afford it, they don’t have healthcare,” Collins explained. “And the burden on people who are sick and need that coverage is higher.”
Instead of continuing to discuss the subsidies directly, Jordan attempted to pivot the conversation to his claim that Democrats are trying to provide healthcare to undocumented migrants.
“I’ll tell you what the Democrats want: the Democrats want healthcare for people who are non-citizens,” Jordan said. “That’s driving up healthcare …”
Before he could finish, Collins jumped in to stop from him diverting the conversation.
“Can we talk about … Don’t change the subject from the subsidies though,” Collins said calmly.
When Jordan responded with another claim that Rep. Maxine Waters stated that she wants healthcare for “illegal immigrants,” Collins redirected him back to the subsidies.
“I’m talking about the subsidies themselves,” Collins said, trying to steer the conversation back. However, Jordan carried on with naming Democrats he claims are considering undocumented migrants in their healthcare policies for Americans.
“We went through all this with House Speaker Mike Johnson last week, trust me,” Collins said. “My point was on the subsidies.”
“We can have a debate on what’s better for healthcare, but we don’t thing extending and expanding Obamacare and giving it to illegal migrants is going to help the situation,” Jordan stated.
“To stay on the subsidies, which I’m talking about,” Collins interrupted.
Watch the full moment above.
Wednesday marked Day 8 of the government shutdown, which went into effect on Oct. 1 after Democrats and Republicans failed to pass a funding bill by the Oct. 1 deadline.
