The United States Senate is set to vote on Thursday (11 December) on a Republican-backed plan aimed at addressing expiring Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies, Senate Majority Leader John Thune announced on Tuesday.
The proposal, introduced by Republican Senators Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Mike Crapo of Idaho, is designed to make health insurance premiums more affordable for Americans as key ACA support measures approach expiration.
“It actually does make health insurance premiums more affordable,” Thune said, highlighting the plan’s goal of easing costs for policyholders.
The bill would authorise up to $1,500 for health savings accounts for individuals earning less than 700% of the federal poverty level. It also would bar the funds from being used for abortion or "gender transition services," according to a summary released by the two senators.
They said the measure also would lower insurance premiums by 11% in 2027 and reduce federal Medicaid funding to states that provide healthcare coverage to "illegal immigrants."
The bill's $1,500 payment is meant to cover deductible costs for lower-priced Obamacare plans, although it is far below those deductibles and could leave patients on the hook for up to $7,500 in out-of-pocket expenses before their insurance kicks in. Medical expenses can add up quickly, with a visit to a U.S. emergency room costing between $1,000 and $3,000.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer dismissed the Republican bill, calling it "junk insurance," while Republicans have criticised the high cost of Democrats' proposed extension of the existing subsidy and say it has contributed to rising healthcare costs.
At the moment, Congress is struggling to address a fast-approaching surge in health insurance premiums for up to 24 million Americans. The COVID-era subsidies, which help to offset premium costs for the plans, also known as Obamacare, are set to expire at year end and millions rely on the programme.
Democrats have continued to push for a three-year extension of expiring ACA subsidies, while Thune said he will present a bill to replace those subsidies with direct payments to individuals. Democrats have criticised those payments as insufficient, and neither approach is expected to get enough support to pass.
On Monday, President Donald Trump embraced the Cassidy-Crapo approach, backing the payment of federal funds directly to individuals instead of to insurers, as provided by the Obamacare subsidy.
The vote comes amid ongoing debates over healthcare affordability and the future of the ACA, with lawmakers exploring different approaches to maintain coverage for millions of Americans while managing federal spending.
Senators on both sides of the aisle will weigh the proposal in the coming days, with the outcome expected to shape the nation’s healthcare landscape and determine the extent to which subsidies continue to support those relying on ACA plans.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticised Russia for answering his offer of an Easter ceasefire with a...
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte will visit Washington next week for what a spokesperson for the military...
President Donald Trump staunchly defended his handling of the month-old U.S.-Israeli war on Iran in a prime-time addr...
An earthquake of magnitude 7.6 struck in Indonesia's Northern Molucca Sea on Thursday, killing on...
Four astronauts blasted off from Florida on Wednesday on NASA's Artemis II mission, a high-stakes voyage ar...
President Donald Trump staunchly defended his handling of the month-old U.S.-Israeli war on Iran in a prime-time address on Wednesday, saying the U.S. military was nearing completion of its mission while also reinforcing his threats to bomb the Islamic Republic back to the Stone Age.
Russian-flagged tanker carrying approximately 700,000 barrels of crude oil docked at Cuba's Matanzas oil terminal on Tuesday, shipping data confirmed, marking a vital and controversial delivery to an island paralysed by severe energy shortages and a suffocating U.S. blockade.
An American female journalist was kidnapped in Baghdad on Tuesday and authorities are searching the city for her, two police officials said.
The petrodollar system, which has anchored the U.S. dollar’s dominance in global energy markets for five decades, is showing clear signs of strain. Pressures from geopolitical tensions and shifting trade practices are accelerating moves away from dollar-based oil transactions.
The Iran-U.S.-Israel conflict is intensifying, with fresh strikes near Tehran, European calls for restraint, and Iran threatening to target U.S. firms in the region, raising fears of a broader escalation across the Middle East.
There are fears of an oil spill after a drone strike hit a Kuwaiti oil tanker near Dubai on Tuesday, while U.S.-Israeli strikes in Iran reportedly killed at least two people. A loud explosion was heard in Beirut in southern Lebanon early Wednesday, as oil prices climbed above $100 a barrel.
China's three largest state-owned airlines have issued warnings regarding their financial outlook for the current year, acknowledging that the eruption of war involving Iran has driven jet fuel prices to unsustainable highs.
Russian-flagged tanker carrying approximately 700,000 barrels of crude oil docked at Cuba's Matanzas oil terminal on Tuesday, shipping data confirmed, marking a vital and controversial delivery to an island paralysed by severe energy shortages and a suffocating U.S. blockade.
A Russian military An-26 aircraft has crashed in Crimea, killing all 30 people on board, Russia’s Defence Ministry has confirmed.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticised Russia for answering his offer of an Easter ceasefire with airstrikes on Wednesday but he praised as "positive" fresh talks with U.S. mediators aimed at resolving the four-year conflict.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte will visit Washington next week for what a spokesperson for the military alliance called a "long-planned visit" that comes after President Donald Trump blasted European allies over differences on the Iran war.
An earthquake of magnitude 7.6 struck in Indonesia's Northern Molucca Sea on Thursday, killing one person, damaging some buildings and triggering tsunami waves, authorities and witnesses said.
Türkiye secured their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 1–0 away victory over Kosovo in the European qualifying play-off final, ending a 24-year absence from the tournament.
With Donald Trump in attendance, the Supreme Court of the United States on Wednesday heard arguments over the legality of his directive to restrict birthright citizenship.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment