Votes came as premium tax credits for estimated 21.8 million enrollees of plans set to expire at end of month
The US Senate on Thursday rejected competing proposals to address the imminent expiration of subsidies for Affordable Care Act health insurance plans, greatly increasing the chances that healthcare costs will soon rise to unaffordable levels for millions of Americans.
The votes, part of a deal brokered between Republican majority leader John Thune and the Democratic senators who agreed to reopen the government after a historically long shutdown last month, came as premium tax credits for an estimated 21.8 million enrollees of the plans are set to expire at the end of the month. Health policy research group KFF estimates that annual premiums will more than double if the subsidies are allowed to expire.
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Republicans
A Republican plan for affordable health care
Republicans have successfully blocked Democrats' efforts to reauthorize the Affordable Care Act's enhanced subsidies, and are now looking to introduce their own health care reforms, such as large HSAs, health insurance deregulation, and allowing ObamaCare to become a high-risk pool.
Democrats sift through shutdown’s ashes after resistance finally breached
After 42-day standoff, government is back open – and minority party won no concessions from party in power
More than 42 days ago, beleaguered congressional Democrats employed a tactic they were not known for using – refusing to fund the government unless their demands, in this case, an extension of tax credits that lowered costs for Affordable Care Act health plans, were met.
Fast forward to Wednesday evening, and the federal government is back open, the Democrats’ resistance b...
Trump signs funding bill to end longest US government shutdown
President signs legislation to restart federal operations after House passes measure in 222-209 vote
The longest US government shutdown in history ended on Wednesday after more than 42 days, following the House of Representative’s passage of a bill negotiated by Republicans and a splinter group of Democrat-aligned senators.
The compromise sets the stage for government operations to return to normal through January, while leaving unresolved the issue of expiring tax credits for ...
Top House Democrats vow to oppose shutdown bill over healthcare funding
Democrats are demanding an extension of tax credits for Affordable Care Act health plans set to expire at end of year
US politics live – latest updates
As House Republican leaders move to hold a vote on legislation to reopen the US government, top Democrats vowed on Tuesday to oppose the bill for not addressing their demand for more healthcare funding.
Democrats have for weeks insisted that any measure to fund the government include an extension of tax c...
Senate Republicans embrace Trump’s call – from his Florida golf course – to replace Obamacare
Amid a historic government shutdown, some senators on Capitol Hill are working this weekend on an unpopular bill
US senators are working through the weekend for the first time since the government shutdown began more than a month ago, but hopes for a bipartisan agreement on how to end the standoff, and keep healthcare affordable for millions of Americans, appeared to recede as Republican senators floated a proposal toxic to Democrats: scrapping the Affordable Care Act (ACA), known as...
Charlamagne Tha God presses Dems to end shutdown impasse: ‘Stop playing politics’
Charlamagne Tha God urged Senate Democrats to reopen the government, citing citizens' dire needs amid the federal shuttering.
The radio host said during a Wednesday segment of "The Breakfast Club" that the party needs to abandon the fight to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium subsidies to ensure that federal workers receive pay.
“Dems, you had a great night last night,” Charlamagne said referring to the party’s Tuesday election wins.
“The premium...
Republicans reject Democrats’ proposal to end longest shutdown in US history
Chuck Schumer offered a deal to reopen the government in exchange for a one-year healthcare subsidies extension
US politics live – latest updates
Republicans rejected a proposal made on Friday by the Senate’s Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, which would end the longest government shutdown in US history by offering Republicans a deal to reauthorize funding in exchange for a one-year extension of tax credits that lower costs for Affordable Care Act (ACA) health...
How Republicans can make health care affordable
As the government shutdown drags on, lawmakers remain locked in a standoff over whether to extend ObamaCare subsidies. Supporters of these taxpayer-provided subsidies claim they’re the fix for rising health costs when, in fact, they only mask rising costs. ObamaCare is the primary reason costs are rising.
Congress faces a choice: Keep pouring taxpayer dollars into a failing, unaffordable health care system, or take this opportunity to fix the struc...
Democrats are entirely to blame for the coming food stamp cuts
It’s the great falsehood heard ‘round the world: President Trump and Republicans in Congress are about to ruin Thanksgiving!
Breathless media stories to that effect have multiplied in recent days. Last week, the Trump administration warned states that because of the shutdown, it will run out of funding for food stamps in early November. At that point, states will have to limit these welfare payments, or even end them altogether — something states like Pennsyl...