Overview
- On CNN, CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz refused to pledge that the president and Congress will keep coverage affordable if enhanced ACA tax credits end on Dec. 31.
- Oz said discussions include a possible short-term extension tied to addressing fraud, waste, and abuse, and he cited reinsurance, drug-price pressures, and potential direct payments as options.
- Democrats criticized the stance and warned that 22 million people could face average premium increases of about 114% without renewal, according to a party statement.
- Fortune reported that consumers buying ACA plans must start paying sharply higher premiums within weeks if credits lapse, while broader policy overhauls would take months.
- The Congressional Budget Office estimates an extension would cost about $35 billion per year and that letting the subsidies expire would leave roughly 4 million more people uninsured by 2034.