Lawmakers to Debate Extending Affordable Care Act Subsidies in December
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Upon returning to Washington D.C. on December 1st, lawmakers have less than three weeks to debate and potentially extend Biden-era Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire at the end of the year. The Senate will vote on an extension within the first two weeks of December, however, it’s unclear if the vote will pass or if the bill will be brought to the House of Representatives. If an extension is not passed by Congress, millions could lose their health insurance over the next decade as a result of higher insurance premiums, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.
Debate Over Extension of Affordable Care Act Subsidies Continues in Washington
On December 1st, lawmakers will reconvene in Washington D.C. to discuss the potential extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies, set to expire at the end of this year. The Senate will surely vote on an extension within the first two weeks of December, but their decision and the possibility of a House of Representatives vote remain uncertain.
President Donald Trump expressed potential openness towards a subsidy extension, despite his criticisms of the act, a famed legislative achievement of former President Barack Obama. “An extension may be necessary to facilitate other legislative progress, due to the failure of the ‘Unaffordable Care Act’,” President Trump stated.
Related: White House mulls extending Obamacare subsidies as Trump pledges health care solution
The Affordable Care Act has been a frequent target for Republicans, who attempted but failed to repeal and replace the Act during Trump’s first term. To address the higher premiums associated with ACA plans, Republicans have considered directly funding health savings accounts for Americans. However, it’s unclear if this solution could garner sufficient bipartisan support to reach President Trump’s desk before the end of open enrollment.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office revealed that without an extension of the subsidies, millions could lose health insurance over the next decade due to increased premium costs.
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