Overview
- Enhanced Affordable Care Act premium aid will lapse on December 31 after Republican leaders sent Congress home without a deal, triggering higher premiums for roughly 22–24 million marketplace enrollees starting January 1.
- The House passed a GOP health package 216–211 that omits the subsidy extension; the CBO says it would cut the deficit by $35.6 billion over 10 years but increase the uninsured by about 100,000 per year on average.
- Four Republicans — Rob Bresnahan, Brian Fitzpatrick, Ryan Mackenzie and Mike Lawler — joined Democrats on a discharge petition that will force a House vote in early January on a three‑year extension of the enhanced subsidies.
- The Senate remains the main obstacle after rejecting a three‑year extension 51–48 last week, with leaders signaling any renewal would need added limits or reforms such as income caps, anti‑fraud measures or abortion‑related restrictions.
- Analysts project steep consumer impacts if the enhancement expires, with KFF estimating average annual payments would rise about 114% (roughly $1,000) in 2026 and CBO estimating roughly 2 million more people could be uninsured next year, intensifying political risks for GOP moderates.