As Congress readies to tackle a looming deadline to avoid health care cost spikes for tens of millions of Americans, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is actively warning President Donald Trump against extending Affordable Care Act subsidies — directly contradicting a proposal from the White House, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.
“Johnson cautioned the White House that most House Republicans don’t have an appetite for extending enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, according to people familiar with the matter, showing how hard it will be politically to stave off sharp increases in healthcare costs next year for many Americans,” wrote Journal reporter Olivia Beavers.
Johnson’s warning to the White House comes shortly after the end of the recent government shutdown, sparked by Republicans’ refusal to fund an extension to ACA subsidies slated to expire at the end of this year. If allowed to expire, an estimated 4 million Americans would lose health coverage, and premiums would more than double for about 22 million.
The government shutdown ended after a handful of Senate Democrats folded on the issue, agreeing to re-open the government with a promise from GOP Senate leadership that the chamber would hold a vote on extending the ACA subsidies in December.
And, as the White House actively considers a plan to temporarily extend the subsidies, Johnson is reportedly cautioning against it, despite the political blowback Republicans may receive for allowing health care costs to spike for millions. It’s also put Johnson in something of a bind.
“Now, Johnson must balance the cries from Republicans in competitive districts who are demanding an extension of the subsidies against many members’ deeply held opposition to the subsidies paid under the ACA,” Beavers wrote.
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