SPOKANE, Wash. - Senator Maria Cantwell met with small business owners in downtown Spokane on Thursday to discuss future impacts stemming from legislation that passed last month.

Under President Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill', enhanced premium tax credits are scheduled to end on January 1, 2026.

More than 200,000 Washingtonians depend on these subsidies.

Without them, WSU economics professor Bidisha Mandal explained healthcare premiums could rise anywhere from 16 to 75 percent for these families.

Economists predict rising healthcare costs may drive workers away from health insurance plans, which could ultimately cost taxpayers more.

Sen. Cantwell warns the effects may be more dramatic in the Inland Northwest.

"The issue for Eastern Washington is that you have less providers," Cantwel

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