"With subsidies for the Affordable Care Act set to expire for millions of Americans at the end of the month, the Senate plans to vote on two health care related bills Thursday, but both are expected to fail. In a trade-off to reopen the government following the longest shutdown in U.S. history, Senate Republicans promised Democrats a vote on a bill of their choosing to extend the subsidies. Democrats are seeking a three-year extension of the subsidies, warning that without one health care premiums are predicted to skyrocket at the start of the 2026."
"Republicans are countering with a plan by Cassidy and Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, that would provide up to $1,500 a year in payments for health savings accounts for Americans earning less than 700 percent of the federal poverty level. However the bill does not extend the ACA tax credits and the money could not be used to pay for health care premiums. Deductibles for those plans average around $7,000, according to data from the health policy organization KFF."
""There is nothing in their [Democrats] bill that stops billions of dollars in fraudulent spending," Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said on the Senate floor Wednesday."
Millions of Americans risk losing Affordable Care Act premium subsidies at month end, prompting a Senate vote expected to fail. Republicans promised Democrats a vote after the government shutdown, while Democrats seek a three-year extension to prevent premium spikes starting in 2026. Republicans oppose the extension, calling it continued "waste, fraud and abuse," and offer a Cassidy-Crapo plan granting up to $1,500 annually for health savings accounts for those under 700 percent of the federal poverty level. The GOP plan excludes ACA tax credits, cannot be used for premiums, often leaves high deductibles, and was rejected by Democrats as unacceptable.
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