Republicans Play Games As ACA Tax Credits Expiration Looms
Republicans Keep Playing Games As ACA Tax Credits Expiration Looms
As the deadline for the end of certain Affordable Care Act subsidies quickly approaches, the majority party can’t get on the same page about its extension. After eight Senate Democrats caved on the most significant shutdown demand in hopes of a mere vote on extending expiring ACA tax credits, House Republicans are refusing to comply.
Led by House Speaker Mike Johnson, reports indicate that House Republicans oppose extending the expiring subsidies. In a very unserious statement, Johnson said extending the ACA wasn’t “even serious” and wanted to focus on health care.
Someone needs to ask Johnson how millions of workers, entrepreneurs, and their families are getting insurance and what will happen to their health care without the extension of the enhanced premium tax credit. While talking out both sides of his neck, the president acknowledged that some form of extension is necessary.
But according to ABC News, Trump claims he never said he would push for a two-year extension; he said something needed to be done. He rambled in his usual disinformation, saying he would rather not do an extension, trying to blame health care issues on the ACA.
The problem is in capitalism, the prioritizing of funding and revenue over people’s lives, and the refusal to hold corporations accountable. And despite Republican claims, the ACA is generally viewed favorably by a majority of Americans. Hence, the a constant barrage of disinformation in defending efforts to undo the gains made since it was passed in 2010.
Republicans have failed to offer a viable alternative to the ACA, which, by many accounts, was based on a plan by Republican Mitt Romney. Congressional Republicans have also failed to repeal the ACA dozens of times in the last 15 years. It’s estimated that between 60 and 70 attempts have been made to undo a life-saving benefit to millions.
Failure by the Republican-led Congress to extend the enhanced premium tax credits could lead to over 4 million people losing insurance coverage. Last week, the health justice organization Community Catalyst released testimonials from people affected by health, highlighting the human costs of this fight.
“As a small business owner, the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits have made all the difference,” James Hollywood, III, a small business owner from Maryland, said. “They help me keep my own costs manageable, and they also help other small business owners, freelancers, and families in my community afford coverage.”
As previously reported by NewsOne, Congress passed the enhanced premium tax credit during the Biden-Harris administration to extend COVID-ERA relief. According to KFF, the enhanced premium tax credit benefits 22 million Americans, offering needed savings to workers, families, and entire communities.
“When people lose affordable options, the consequences are immediate and predictable: more medical debt, more people pushed into low-value or non-comprehensive plans, and more families steered toward deferred interest medical credit cards that trap them in long-term debt,” shared Mona Shah, Senior Director of Policy and Strategy, Community Catalyst. “Our partners and navigators are seeing this unfold every day — people weighing whether they can stay insured at all, delaying care, or taking on financial risks they know are unsustainable. These are systemic pressures, not individual failures — and they’re preventable.”
SEE ALSO:
Rising Health Insurance Premiums And Expiring Subsidies Demand Action
