CEDARBURG, Wis. — A Wisconsin small business owner could be facing financial hardships as his health insurance premiums are set to triple in 2026 if Congress fails to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies.
Allen Naparalla, owner of Chiselled Grape Winery in Cedarburg, reached out to TMJ4 expressing concern about what the premium increases mean for his business's future. His monthly premium is jumping from $344.83 to $1,076 — more than triple the current cost.
"Everyone's getting hit, I understand that, but to the degree that we are is tri-fold, I mean three times the amount," Naparalla said.
House Speaker Mike Johnson announced Tuesday that his chamber will not take up a vote to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies this week, while the Senate voted down the subsidies last week. The tax credits that reduce coverage costs for millions of Americans expire on December 31.
"Can you afford more than $1,000 a month in healthcare?" TMJ4 News Reporter Jenna Rae asked Naparalla.
"If I pull money out of my business, but then I end up paying taxes on that at the end," he responded.
Naparalla finds himself in an impossible situation shared by other small business owners who don't have enough employees to qualify for privatized insurance, leaving the health insurance marketplace as their only option.
Watch: Small business owner preparing for financial hardships as health insurance premiums skyrocket
"Yes, the premiums have gone up, but not to the level that they have gone up for the small independent business person," Naparalla said.
Walking through downtown Cedarburg, local businesses line the streets. Naparalla said that could all change because of skyrocketing insurance premiums.
"Small business owners are really taking it right now, and they're the ones that are taking the brunt of this. Everyone's gone up, but we seem to be taking it the hardest, and you're going to see a lot of people close their doors," he said.
Both the Senate and House of Representatives have been in a stalemate for months over the key tax credits.
"This is not logical. Who, who, what, where," Naparalla said. "I just don't know what to do."
That uncertainty prompted him to reach out for help.
"This isn't a democrat or republican thing, this is a human thing," Naparalla added.
Naparalla said he hopes lawmakers can make decisions quickly before small businesses like his face closure.
This story was reported on-air by Jenna Rae and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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