WASHINGTON (TNND) \u2014 Millions of Americans face the prospect of skyrocketing healthcare premiums as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies are set to expire. The Senate’s failure to pass two healthcare proposals last week has left the House scrambling to vote on its own bill before the holiday break.<\/p>\n
A Democrat measure that would have extended the expiring subsidies for three years was voted down along with a Republican measure that would create Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). <\/p>\n
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, expressed hope for a compromise, saying a deal could involve both elements of the Republican and Democratic proposals. <\/p>\n
“The first thing though is to diagnose the problem, speaking as a doctor, and to diagnose the problem you’ve got to address the issue of the out of pocket, which is so high for so many that they just cannot get the care they need,” he told CNN on Sunday. <\/p>\n
The temporary extension of ACA subsidies, initially passed with Covid-era legislation, is due to expire at the end of the year. Republicans are wary of making these subsidies permanent due to concerns over cost and fraud. Meanwhile, Democrats argue that without the tax credits, Americans will be unable to afford necessary healthcare and will forgo trying to take care of themselves because of costs. <\/p>\n
“People in red districts and red states who will be disproportionately impacted by these premiums that are set to double in a matter of weeks,” Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Georgia, told NBC’s “Mee the Press.”<\/p>\n