The Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance subsidies are set to expire at the end of the year, with millions of Americans facing increased premiums and potential losses of coverage. Despite polls showing strong support for extending the enhanced subsidies, Congress has failed to coalesce around a plan to address rising healthcare costs.
A bipartisan measure to extend the subsidies, along with some reforms, was proposed by groups of rank-and-file members on both sides of the Capitol. However, so far, only dueling partisan measures have come up for votes – one backed by Senate Republicans and another from Senate Democrats. Both failed to garner enough votes.
The House is set to vote on a separate package of health reforms rolled out last Friday by House Speaker Mike Johnson, which would not extend the expiring subsidies. Despite this, some lawmakers remain hopeful that finding a bipartisan compromise will recharge efforts to address healthcare costs.
With the clock ticking down to the end-of-year deadline, many Americans are at risk of losing coverage due to unaffordable premiums. Democrats have bet significant political capital on extending the subsidies, and if Republicans decline to back a plan, it could give them a powerful message in next year’s midterm elections.
The debate over healthcare has endured for 15 years since the ACA became law, with some Republicans still opposing the law despite growing popularity. However, polls show that many Republicans now support extending the subsidies, which were first passed in 2021.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2025/12/17/nx-s1-5645846/congress-health-care-subsidies