As the year draws to a close and Congress adjourns for the holidays, millions of Americans are bracing for a sharp increase in health care costs after federal subsidies that have helped make Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace plans affordable are set to expire on Dec. 31 — and lawmakers from both parties are sparring over what comes next. Without action, analysts warn that monthly premiums for many enrollees could double or even triple, and an estimated millions could lose coverage or face higher out-of-pocket costs in 2026.
Sunday House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he remains confident that Congress will extend expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits despite continued opposition from Republicans.
In an interview with ABC’s Jonathan Karl on “This Week,” Jeffries was asked about Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s comments that a three-year extension of the credits would be DOA in the Senate. Jeffries responded by saying Thune “is not serious about protecting the health care of the American people.”
“It will pass, with a bipartisan majority, and then that will put the pressure on John Thune and Senate Republicans to actually do the right thing by the American people: pass a straightforward extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credits so we can keep health care affordable for tens of millions of Americans who deserve to be able to go see a doctor when they need one,” Jeffries said.
Jeffries has been among the most outspoken voices urging Congress to act before the deadline. Jeffries and his allies have pushed for a three–year extension of the enhanced subsidies, saying the cost relief is critical for working families and individuals who rely on the ACA marketplace for coverage. His approach has included efforts to use a discharge petition — a legislative tactic that allows lawmakers to force a vote if leadership won’t bring a bill to the floor — and he has argued that there is bipartisan support for extending the tax credits if leadership will allow the process to move forward.
“I’ve said before that under no circumstances should we leave this Capitol… without voting on an extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credit bill that we know will pass, that the votes exist in a bipartisan way to protect the healthcare of everyday Americans,” Jeffries said as the petition reached the signatures needed to trigger action.
In a notable development that underscores the political pressure over the issue, four House Republicans from swing districts joined Democrats in signing the discharge petition, effectively forcing a vote on the Democratic plan to extend the subsidies for three years.
Lawmakers such as Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.) and Mike Lawler (N.Y.) argued that doing nothing would harm constituents who have benefited from the expanded tax credits and could lead to worse outcomes if premiums climb sharply next year. “The only policy that is worse than a clean three-year extension without any reforms is a policy of complete expiration without any bridge,” one Republican cosponsor of the petition said.
Despite this procedural victory, the actual floor vote will most likely come after Congress returns from its holiday recess in early January, leaving a pause between the expiration of the subsidies and any legislative action.
During his ‘This Week,’ appearance Jeffries remained critical of the GOP and President Trump’s policies, blaming them for the rising cost of living across the nation.
“Life is too expensive in the United States of America, and things have actually gotten worse under Donald Trump’s presidency,” Jeffries said. “He promised to lower costs on day one. Costs aren’t going down, they’re going up. That’s healthcare costs. That’s housing costs that are out of control. Childcare costs are out of control. Utility bills, electricity costs are out of control and grocery costs are out of control. So there are a variety of different things that need to be done.
“As Democrats, we’re promising to focus relentlessly on driving down the high cost of living to make life more affordable for everyday Americans and to fix our broken healthcare system, which Republicans have been damaging in an extraordinary way throughout the year, including by enacting the largest cut to Medicaid in American history. And because of Republican policies in their big ugly bill, we know hospitals, nursing homes, and community-based health centers are closing all across the country, including in rural America. Working-class Americans are being hurt. Black and Brown Americans are being hurt. Small-town America is being hurt. The heartland of America is being hurt. And yes, we need to fix our broken health care system.”
For his part, Jeffries says the threat of unaffordable premiums and coverage loss will continue to build public pressure on lawmakers — and that ultimately, a bipartisan path forward that protects working families will materialize once Congress returns in the new year.
