¶ Overview
Hinson opposed expanding Medicare coverage, claiming that it was “socialism.” Hinson twice voted against capping insulin prices for seniors.
Hinson opposed extending ACA subsidies and called the ACA, the “unaffordable care act.” Without extending the ACA subsidies, Iowans could face over $1 thousand monthly health insurance hike and would hit rural Iowa hard.
¶ Hinson Opposed Expanding Medicare Coverage
¶ Hinson Opposed Expanding Medicare Coverage
Hinson Claimed That The Congressional Budget Proposal Which Expanded Medicare Coverage Was “Socialism.” According to the Iowa Starting Line, “Iowa State Sen. Liz Mathis pushed back last week on Rep. Ashley Hinson’s characterization of congressional Democrats’ budget proposal as ‘socialism’ for, in part, expanding Medicare coverage, saying Hinson was simply using ‘a political buzzword’ to dismiss the popular policy. During an Iowa Press appearance, Hinson called the proposed budget ‘the biggest dive towards socialism.’” [Iowa Starting Line, 9/27/21]
- When Asked What Part Of The Budget Proposal Was “Socialism,” Hinson Claimed That It Was The “Drastic Expansion Of Medicare Policy.” According to the Iowa Starting Line, “ Moderator Kay Henderson followed up to ask if Hinson meant the bill’s universal preschool or childcare provisions were ‘socialism.’ After name-checking Sen. Bernie Sanders, Hinson specified ‘unlimited taxpayer spending on community college’ and ‘drastic expansion of Medicare policy’ as part of her issues with it.” [Iowa Starting Line, 9/27/21]
The Medicare Proposal Was To Expand Coverage To Include Dental, Hearing And Vision Benefits. According to the Iowa Starting Line, “Included in Democrats’ Medicare proposal is to expand coverage to cover dental, hearing and vision benefits.” [Iowa Starting Line, 9/27/21]
¶ Hinson Opposed Capping Drug Prices
¶ Hinson Voted Against Capping Insulin Prices For Seniors
¶ Hinson Voted Against The Affordable Insulin Now Act
Headline: Hinson, Feenstra Vote Against Insulin Price Cap, Axne And Miller-Meeks Support [Iowa Starting Line, 4/3/25]
2022: Hinson Voted Against The Affordable Insulin Now Act, Which Required Private Insurances And Medicare To Cover Certain Insulin Products, Prohibit Deductibles For Insulin, And Cap Cost-Sharing For Such Insulin Products Beginning In 2023. In March 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly, Hinson voted against the Affordable Insulin Now Act, which would “require private health insurance and Medicare to cover certain insulin products and limit cost-sharing requirements for such products for plans beginning in 2023. Specifically, it would require private insurance plans to cover at least one of each dosage form of each type of insulin, such as short-acting, long-acting and premixed insulin; prohibit the plans from applying a deductible for the insulin products; and cap cost-sharing for the insulin products at the lesser of $35 or 25 percent of the plan's negotiated price for the product per 30-day supply. For Medicare plans, it would similarly prohibit the application of a deductible for covered insulin products and cap copayments at $35 per 30-day supply.” The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 232-193, thus the bill was sent to the Senate. The bill was passed by the Senate and both chambers are resolving differences. The bill was turned into the Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 and that version ultimately became law. [House Vote 102, 3/31/22; Congressional Quarterly, 3/31/22; Congressional Actions, H.R. 6833]
- The Measure Would Cap Insulin Costs At Either $35 Per Month Or 25% Of A Health Insurance Plan’s Negotiated Costs Beginning In 2023. According to NPR, “The Affordable Insulin Now Act would cap insulin prices at either $35 a month or 25% of an insurance plan’s negotiated price — whichever is lower. The legislation would take effect in 2023 but its fate in the Senate remains unclear.” [NPR, 3/31/22]
¶ Hinson Voted Against The Inflation Reduction Act Which Capped Insulin Prices
Headline: Ashley Hinson Voted Against Lowering Insulin Prices… Because Of The Green New Deal? [Iowa Starting Line, 8/16/25]
2022: Hinson Voted Against Capping Insulin Covered Under Medicare At $35 Per Month. In August 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly, Hinson voted against concurring in the Senate amendment to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which would “cap cost-sharing for insulin products covered under Medicare at $35 a month.” The vote was on a motion to concur. The House concurred with the Senate by a vote 220-207, thus the bill was sent to President Biden for final signage. President Biden signed the bill and it ultimately became law. [House Vote 420, 8/12/22; Congressional Quarterly, 8/12/22; Congressional Actions, H.R. 5376]
¶ Hinson Attacked The Affordable Care Act And Opposed Extending ACA Subsidies
¶ Hinson Attacked The Affordable Care
¶ Hinson Claimed That The Affordable Care Act Was The “Unaffordable Care Act”
Hinson Named The ACA, The “Unaffordable Care Act” And Claimed That Subsides Masked The Rising Cost Of Insurance Premiums. According to Radio Iowa, “Hinson, who’s running for the U.S. Senate, said Democrats put the subsidies in place ‘to mask’ the rising cost of insurance premiums. ‘We can all agree that health care costs are way too high,’ Hinson said. ‘It’s the Unaffordable Care Act. It’s not the Affordable Care Act…I want to work on solutions to lower the cost of care, expand access.’” [Radio Iowa, 11/5/25]
[AUDIO] Hinson Claimed That The ACA Was The “Unaffordable Care Act” And That The Subsidies Masked The Rising Costs Of Healthcare. “Again, this is what we've been saying for years, that the Obamacare right, the unaffordable care act, right. It's not the Affordable Care Act, it’s the unaffordable care act. And so these subsidies simply masked the rising costs of health care for these Democrat plans. Right. And so that's what we want to we want to work on solutions to lower the cost of care, expand that access, and ensure that Iowans aren't paying sky high premiums. But unfortunately, again, it's hard to do that when the government is closed.” [Voices Of The Tri-States, 11/10/25]
¶ 2025: 136,833 Iowans Were Enrolled in The Affordable Care Act
136,833 Iowans Were Enrolled In The Affordable Care Act Marketplace In 2025. According to KFF,
[KFF, Viewed 7/28/25]
2022: Iowa’s Uninsured Rate Was Among The Lowest In The United States At 5.4 Percent. According to Axios, "Iowa in 2022 had among the country's lowest shares of residents under 65 without health insurance, according to new Census Bureau data. But newer, preliminary numbers show that might be changing. Why it matters: Uninsured people are more likely to forgo needed care or preventative services, which can lead to higher rates of chronic disease with expensive and disabling complications. State of play: As of 2022, Iowa's 5.4% uninsured rate was tied with Minnesota's, and lower than those of all surrounding states. Only Massachusetts (2.9%), Washington, D.C. (3.1%), Hawaii (4.3%), Vermont (4.9%) and Rhode Island (5.2%) were lower. Catch up quick: Iowa's rates dropped about 10 years ago, mostly attributed to public insurance plans and the expansion of the Affordable Care Act." [Axios, 8/19/24]
The Drop In Iowa’s Uninsured Rates Was Largely Attributed To Public Insurance Plans And Expansion Of The ACA. According to Axios, "Iowa in 2022 had among the country's lowest shares of residents under 65 without health insurance, according to new Census Bureau data. But newer, preliminary numbers show that might be changing. Why it matters: Uninsured people are more likely to forgo needed care or preventative services, which can lead to higher rates of chronic disease with expensive and disabling complications. State of play: As of 2022, Iowa's 5.4% uninsured rate was tied with Minnesota's, and lower than those of all surrounding states. Only Massachusetts (2.9%), Washington, D.C. (3.1%), Hawaii (4.3%), Vermont (4.9%) and Rhode Island (5.2%) were lower. Catch up quick: Iowa's rates dropped about 10 years ago, mostly attributed to public insurance plans and the expansion of the Affordable Care Act." [Axios, 8/19/24]
¶ Hinson Opposed Extending ACA Subsidies
¶ Hinson Opposed Extending ACA Subsidies
Hinson Claimed That The Subsides Masked The Cost Of Obamacare. According to the Gazette, “Hinson reiterated her opposition to simply extending Affordable Care Act premium subsidies without reforms, saying the current framework “masks” rising health care costs. ‘The problem here is that what they’re asking for is to just mask the cost of Obamacare, which is the ‘Unaffordable Care Act,’’ she said. ‘It’s driven health care premiums up, and there’s no incentive on the insurance companies to actually lower premium costs.’” [Gazette, 11/7/25]
¶ Hinson Supported Health Savings Accounts Over Extending ACA Tax Credits
Hinson Supported Health Savings Accounts Over Extending ACA Tax Credits. According to Iowa Capital Dispatch, “A spokesperson for Hinson said the congresswoman backs efforts to address health care inflation, but is more supportive of ideas on shifting funding to a Health Savings Accounts (HSA) model that directs money to individuals rather than health insurance companies.” [Iowa Capital Dispatch, 12/3/25]
Hinson Supported A Health Savings Account Approach Rather Than Extending ACA Subsidies. According to the Gazette, “U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, a Republican from Marion who is running for Ernst’s Senate seat in 2026, told reporters last week she prefers legislation that promotes funding Health Savings Accounts rather than extending ACA subsidies.” [Gazette, 12/11/25]
¶ 2022: Hinson Voted Against Extending Tax Subsidies Towards Affordable Care Act Insurance Premiums
2022: Hinson Voted Against Extending Tax Subsidies Toward Affordable Care Act Insurance Premiums For Eligible Individuals Through 2025. In August 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly, Hinson voted against concurring in the Senate amendment to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which would “extend through 2025 tax subsidies toward Affordable Care Act marketplace insurance premiums for individuals under a certain income level.” The vote was on a motion to concur. The House concurred with the Senate by a vote 220-207, thus the bill was sent to President Biden for final signage. President Biden signed the bill and it ultimately became law. [House Vote 420, 8/12/22; Congressional Quarterly, 8/12/22; Congressional Actions, H.R. 5376]
- The Inflation Reduction Act Included $64 Billion To Prevent Health Insurance Premium Increases For Approximately 13 Million Americans Who Purchased Policies Through The Affordable Care Act Marketplace. According to The Washington Post, “The bill also includes $64 billion to stave off health insurance premium increases for about 13 million Americans who buy coverage through state and federal exchanges under the Affordable Care Act.” [The Washington Post, 8/7/22]
¶ Without ACA Subsidies, Iowans Healthcare Costs Would Skyrocket
Headline: Some Iowans Face $1K+ Monthly Health Insurance Spike [Axios, 11/24/25]
The Expiration Of ACA Subsidies Threated Iowans’ Affordability And Coverage Stability. According to Axios, “ For Iowa farmers, small business owners and early retirees buying health insurance through the ACA marketplace, the upcoming expiration of enhanced federal subsidies threatens affordability and coverage stability.” [Axios, 11/24/25]
112,000 Iowans Benefit From ACA Subsidies. According to Axios, “ Around 112,000 Iowans currently benefit from the advanced credits, according to the state's insurance division.” [Axios, 11/24/25]
¶ Iowa Farmers Relied On ACA Subsidies
Headline: Iowa Farmers Union Says End Of ACA Tax Credits A Huge Hit To Rural America [Radio Iowa, 12/16/25]
¶ 27 Percent Of U.S. Farmers Relied On Subsidies To Buy Health Insurance
27 Percent Of U.S. Farmers Relied On Subsidies To Buy Health Insurance. According to Radio Iowa, “According KFF, a health care research group, 27% of U.S. farmers, ranchers and agribusiness managers have relied on subsidies to buy health insurance through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace.” [Radio Iowa, 12/16/25]