Van Orden Criticizes Obamacare Amidst Debate Over Subsidy Extensions
During a recent visit to a La Crosse homeless shelter, Wisconsin Representative Derrick Van Orden labeled the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, a “failed program.” His comments come as House Republicans, including Van Orden, resist efforts to prolong tax subsidies associated with the program, scheduled to lapse at year-end. The Congressional Budget Office has projected that this could lead to 3.8 million people becoming uninsured in 2026.
In discussions with reporters, Van Orden expressed his stance, stating, “People need health insurance. I want every single American citizen to have quality, affordable, reliable health care. But the time to debate that is after the government is open, not now.” This remark underscores the complexity of the ongoing debate over healthcare subsidies.
During an interview on WISN’s Upfront, Van Orden remained evasive when questioned about his position on extending subsidies. Instead, he diverted the conversation to other issues, claiming, “Tony Evers wants you to focus on this, so that you don’t focus on the fact that … there’s over 200 cases since 2018 of Wisconsin schoolchildren being groomed and molested by their teachers.”
Despite not confirming his stance on the subsidies, Van Orden has consistently called for the repeal of Obamacare, including on his current congressional website, where he advocates for removing what he describes as the “last vestiges of the disastrous Obama Care.” His 2024 campaign platform echoed this sentiment.
Previously, in 2023, Van Orden supported the unsuccessful Limit, Save, Grow Act, which proposed cuts to Obamacare that would have impacted 116,600 veterans’ healthcare benefits.
Currently, over 313,000 residents of Wisconsin are enrolled in Obamacare. Van Orden’s seat is considered one of the most at risk for Republicans in the upcoming 2026 elections, adding pressure to his stance on healthcare issues.
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