The Senate will vote Thursday on a Republican proposal to replace enhanced health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act with health savings accounts that would receive federal contributions to pay out-of-pocket expenses, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) announced Tuesday. The Senate was already set to vote Thursday on a Democratic plan to extend the expiring subsidies for three years, and Leader Thune’s decision will give Republican colleagues the opportunity to vote for a GOP alternative. The Leader was under heavy pressure from Senate Republicans who warned that failing to advance a Republican plan would be a catastrophe and said the plan from Senators Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) has support from a majority of Senate Republicans and argued it would reduce health insurance premiums and save the federal government nearly $30 billion. Leader Thune had agreed to give Senate Democrats a vote on legislation to extend the ACA’s enhanced health insurance premium subsidies, which are due to expire in January, as part of a deal last month to reopen the government after a 43-day shutdown. (Cassidy/Crapo One Pager; Section by Section; Bill Text)
On the other side of the Capitol, House GOP leaders will bring a vote next week on a package of health care bills that does not include an extension of expiring ObamaCare enhanced subsidies, as Republicans remain divided about how to address the health care cliff ahead of a perilous midterm election year. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) told reporters the legislation will comprise GOP-backed ideas that “every Republican agrees to,” which have been discussed across various House committees this year. But that package is not set to include any measure to extend the subsidies that expire at the end of the year. If those enhanced subsidies expire, out-of-pocket costs for health insurance will spike drastically for millions of Americans. Following a House GOP conference meeting Wednesday morning, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) said there was no consensus about extending the expiring enhanced subsidies.
For today, the Senate reconvened at 10:00 A.M. and is expected to take up a motion to proceed to Cal. #203– S.J.Res.82, disapproving the rule submitted by the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services relating to “Policy on Adhering to the Text of the Administrative Procedure Act” and a Motion to invoke cloture on Exec. Cal. #4– S.Res.532, authorizing the en bloc consideration in Executive Session of (97) certain nominations on the Executive Calendar.
The House is expected to take up S. 1071 – National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 and H.R. 3628 – State Planning for Reliability and Affordability Act.
The House may also begin consideration of H.R. 3638 – Electric Supply Chain Act and H.R. 3383 – INVEST Act.
Adam S. Olsen, Washington, D.C.
