Divided Republicans were scrambling Monday to come up with a health care plan as an end-of-year deadline loomed to avert skyrocketing insurance premiums for millions of Americans.
With President Trump apparently not pressing for any deal, congressional Republican leaders pushed a grab bag of conservative health care policy priorities that would not extend tax credits for Affordable Care Act insurance plans, which will dramatically increase in 2026 for more than 20 million people if no action is taken.
The GOP plan has virtually no chance of passing the Senate, where some Democratic support would be needed, leaving some moderate Republicans eyeing an 11th hour deal with Democrats to extend the Obamacare tax credits and avoid the spiraling cost increases that they fear could haunt them at the ballot box in the midterm elections.
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-New York), who represents a Westchester County swing district, and Long Island’s Rep. Nick LaLota (R-New York) say they are joining an effort of a bipartisan group of moderates to force a House vote on an extension while negotiations continue on a longer term solution.
But conservative and pro-Trump Republicans are bitterly opposed to any plan to bolster the system that helps people obtain insurance coverage outside of an employer-based insurance plan or government-run program.
Democratic congressional leaders are pushing for a simple extension of the subsidies for three years. They could be open to negotiating on a shorter extension and might even consider income caps or other restrictions, but don’t believe Republicans are serious about forging a deal would need to pass the House and the Senate and win Trump’s signature.
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries and Sen. Chuck Schumer, both New York Democrats, accuse Republicans of failing to deal with the looming health crisis for months, even as they found time to pass Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, which included tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy and cuts to Medicaid for lower-income people.
Republicans, who control both houses of Congress and the White House, counter by claiming Democrats are more interested in scoring political points than reaching a bipartisan solution.
If no health deal is reached, more than 20 million Americans will be hit with dramatically higher health insurance premiums in the new year. Polls say voters already give Trump and Republicans failing marks when it comes to dealing with health care, the economy and higher prices.
That could spell doom for Republicans as they try to hold onto control of Congress in the 2026 midterms with Democrats hoping that a blue wave can catapult them back into control of the House and maybe even the Senate.
