Arica Bronz, a pilates instructor from Winooski and Mike Fisher, vermont’s health care advocate. Courtesy photo and by Mike Dougherty/VTDigger
The health care apocalypse has arrived.
In the past month, many of the 30,000 Vermonters who get thier health insurance through Vermont Health Connect – part of the Affordable Care A
Welch Calls for Action as Health care Costs Soar for Vermonters
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By Olivia Gieger
October 31, 2025, 5:26 pm (Updated November 3, 2025, 4:39 pm)
[Image of U.S. Sen. Peter Welch hugging Allison Mindel after she spoke about her family’s struggle to afford healthcare at a press conference at the Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin on Friday,October 31,2025.Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger]
Vermonters are now faced with excruciating choices.Middle-income participants are facing additional premiums of $10,000 per year for individuals and $32,000 for a family of four. Others are considering going without insurance all together.
‘We don’t have a safety net’: A family confronts a future without health insurance
A Vermont family is considering foregoing health insurance due to skyrocketing premiums and high deductibles, raising concerns about the stability of the state’s healthcare financing system. The situation highlights a growing affordability crisis in healthcare and the potential for a “death spiral” if more people drop coverage.
Rising Costs Force Difficult Decisions
“I don’t take out a second mortgage on our house to afford one year of health insurance,” said Arica Bronz, a pilates instructor from Winooski, Vermont, where she lives with her husband, a primary care physician, and their two daughters.
Bronz’s monthly family premium is projected to rise from $1,100 to $2,700 in 2026. Factoring in a $15,000 annual deductible, her family would face $47,000 in out-of-pocket expenses before their insurance coverage begins. Source: VTDigger
Faced with these costs, Bronz feels she has no choice but to cancel health care coverage for her family. “We’re trying to get all the scans done and just make sure we’re tip-top healthy before we make the leap. I can’t tell you how much sleep I’ve lost considering what it’s like to jump in this day and age to no health care for a family.”
A Potential “Death Spiral” for Vermont’s Healthcare System
Experts warn that if a significant number of people drop health care coverage, Vermont’s already struggling health care financing system could collapse. This occurs when healthy individuals opt out of the insurance pool, leaving a higher proportion of sicker, more expensive individuals covered, which drives up premiums further and encourages more healthy people to leave – creating a vicious cycle.
“I have a tremendous fear that what we are watching before us is the undoing, the dismantling of our healthcare financing system,” said Michael Fisher, Vermont’s chief health care advocate. “This is devastating and it’s self-inflicted. And the majority in Congress think it’s the right thing to do.”
subsidies and Remaining Options
Despite the bleak outlook, some assistance remains available. Fisher noted that those with incomes up to 400% of the federal poverty level – approximately $130,000 for a family of four in 2024 – may still qualify for subsidized health care premiums. Healthcare.gov provides details on available subsidies and enrollment options.
A Future Without a Safety Net
As Arica Bronz contemplates a future without health insurance, she expresses a sense of vulnerability. “We don’t have a safety net.Hopefully that will inspire us to just be really thoughtful and careful. … It’s kinda terrifying.”
Key Takeaways:
- Healthcare premiums in Vermont are rising substantially, making coverage unaffordable for many families.
- The Bronz family is considering dropping health insurance due to the high cost.
- Experts fear a “death spiral” in Vermont’s healthcare system if too many people become uninsured.
- Subsidies are available for those with incomes up to 400% of the federal poverty level.