A household's costs and Colorado's outlook
The Dubés buy their insurance through Connect for Health Colorado. They report that their 2027 coverage will cost about $2,220 more per month than in 2024, which their letter identifies as the start of Hurd's term.
Their endorsement centers on Hurd's vote for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, or OBBBA. They argue that the vote contradicts his stated support for health care and endorses President Donald Trump's agenda. They want a representative who will oppose that agenda and work to reverse the health care affordability crisis.
Statewide figures provide a broader view of the coming year's premiums. According to Connect for Health Colorado, the Colorado Division of Insurance announced in September 2026 that final individual-market premiums would increase by an average of 10% for 2027. KFF calculated a national median increase of about 15% from 2027 ACA rate filings.
Financial assistance will remain available to some Colorado customers. Connect for Health Colorado says the state-funded Colorado Premium Assistance program reduced premiums for more than 176,000 customers in 2026 and will continue in 2027. The marketplace estimates that 69% of its customers are likely to qualify for financial help for 2027.
Premiums and deductibles after the tax credits expired
The Dubés also criticize Republicans for not extending the Affordable Care Act's enhanced premium tax credits before their expiration at the end of 2025. They attribute sharply higher health care costs for nearly 20 million Americans to that lapse.
KFF's May 19, 2026 analysis documented an increase in what ACA Marketplace enrollees paid after tax credits: The average monthly payment reached $178 in 2026, up 58% from $113. A smaller share of enrollees received premium tax credits, falling from 92% in 2025 to 87% in 2026.
Deductibles also increased as enrollees moved from silver plans to bronze plans, KFF found. The average reached a record $3,786 in 2026, an increase of 37%, or about $1,027 per person. It was the largest increase since the marketplaces opened in 2014.
Coverage losses and pressure on rural hospitals
In their letter, the Dubés link OBBBA's health care cuts and the expiration of the enhanced tax credits to millions of Americans losing coverage. They say the combination is straining rural hospitals and leaving working families with greater out-of-pocket expenses.
An October 2026 American Hospital Association report estimates the rural impact of OBBBA's roughly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts. It projects nearly $140 billion less in federal Medicaid spending in rural areas and nearly $20 billion more in uncompensated care costs for rural hospitals. More than 300 rural hospitals would face the risk of closing, converting or reducing services, the report estimates.
The November 3 contest
Romero and Hurd secured their nominations in the June 30, 2026 primaries. Colorado Public Radio reported that Romero defeated Alex Kelloff in the Democratic race, 55% to 45%, while Hurd won the Republican primary over Ron Hanks by about 67% to 33%. They face each other in the November 3 general election.
An internal poll for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee put Romero at 47% and Hurd at 46%, with 8% undecided, according to The Colorado Sun. The survey of 402 likely voters in the district was conducted October 20-21, 2026. Romero's one-point edge was within the poll's 4.9-percentage-point margin of error.
