Schumer to push Senate GOP to vote on three-year extension of health insurance subsidies

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York declared on Thursday that Democrats will compel Republican senators to vote next week on a three-year extension of enhanced health insurance premium subsidies, which are set to expire in January.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota, who manages the Senate schedule, agreed to allow a vote on the subsidy extension as part of an agreement with centrist Democrats to reopen the federal government following a 43-day shutdown.

Earlier this week, Schumer had kept his strategy private, but on Thursday he confirmed that all Democrats are expected to support a straightforward three-year continuation of the subsidies provided under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Senate Democrats will present legislation for a clean, three-year extension of current ACA tax credits. This bill will go to the Senate floor for a vote next Thursday, and every Democrat will back it, Schumer stated.

He emphasized that the upcoming vote will put pressure on Senate Republicans to take a position on extending the subsidies amid rising health care costs. Republicans have one week to decide: support this bill to reduce health care expenses or block it and let premiums rise. This vote will be crucial, he said.

Meanwhile, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chair Bill Cassidy of Louisiana has circulated a plan to transform the enhanced ACA premium subsidies into federal contributions to health savings accounts for covering out-of-pocket medical costs.

Republican senators, however, noted that Cassidys proposal has not yet been formally released and is unlikely to be ready for a floor vote next week. Senator Rick Scott of Florida has suggested redirecting funds from the enhanced ACA subsidies into Trump Health Freedom Accounts to pay premiums for insurance plans outside the ACA marketplace.

Author: Lucas Grant