Republicans are split on extending Obamacare tax breaks as higher costs loom
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Source: NBC News
July 25, 2025, 6:30 AM EDT
WASHINGTON Republican leaders are facing growing calls from their members to extend a bucket of funding for the Affordable Care Act that is slated to expire at the end of this year as some look to avert insurance premium hikes and millions of Americans losing health coverage.
But the cause faces opposition from conservatives who detest Obamacare, as the law is nicknamed, and dont want to lift a finger to protect it. Some argue itd be too expensive to continue the premium tax credits, which cost over $30 billion per year and were initially adopted as part of a Covid-19 response.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projects that about 5 million Americans will lose their insurance by 2034 if the money expires.
Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., the chair of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, said a lot of people are discussing how to address the ACA subsidies. But the party is torn. Im not saying where I am on that issue, but its definitely part of the conversation, Smith told NBC News. Theres some interest to do something. Theres some interest to do nothing. So its threading that needle.
Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/republicans-split-extending-obamacare-tax-breaks-higher-costs-loom-rcna220601

EYESORE 9001
(29,085 posts)Taxes for thee but not for meee
progree
(12,367 posts)7/18/25
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/07/18/npr-aca-health-insurance-premiums-obamacare-bbb-kff
The average person who buys Affordable Care Act insurance will be paying 75 percent more for their premium, according to the analysis from KFF, a nonpartisan health policy research group.
. . .
If healthy people opt out, the insurance pool is left with those who cost insurance companies more people who can't go without health insurance because of chronic conditions or expensive medications. "That's why insurance companies are going ahead and charging a higher premium, with the expectation that the market is going to get sicker next year," explains Cox.
So, it's a combination of the expiration of the enhanced premium subsidies that began in the Covid era that will primarily spike costs. Then, disproportionately the healhier will opt not to pay for insurance and so drop out of the insured pool, leaving a sicker pool who most need the coverage. The combination will result in the average of the remaining insured seeing a 75% premium increase.
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Remember the above is the ACA. Then there's cuts to Medicaid, Medicare... Oh, and there's huge cost increases expected too for employer-provided coverage and the employee share, according to an article I read maybe 2 weeks ago.
Bengus81
(9,457 posts)We already know what you fuckers priorities are,round up those brownies,imprison them and have them work for free.
What we need is people to wise the HELL UP to this Authoritarian Regime and have 40-50 of you to lose your jobs at the mid-terms.
Omaha Steve
(107,158 posts)FEATURE story.