ACA Subsidies, Funding Bill Punted To Next Year As Congress Takes A Break
The enhanced tax credits that millions of Americans rely on to pay for health insurance on the Obamacare marketplace will expire Dec. 31, meaning premiums could soar. When Congress meets again, it'll have mere weeks to pass funding legislation to avoid another government shutdown.
The Independent:
Republicans Leave Washington Without Any Solution On Healthcare: ‘Giving The Middle Finger To The American People’
‘Twas the week before Christmas and all throughout the People’s House, not a deal on healthcare was in sight, or a ban on members trading stocks or their spouse. House Speaker Mike Johnson elected to send the House of Representatives home on Thursday without a vote to stave off the impending expiration of enhanced tax credits for the Affordable Care Act’s marketplace. This came even though four Republicans signed House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’s discharge petition to force a vote on a three-year extension for the tax credits, which expire at the end of the month. ... “It's also like the administration giving the middle finger to the American people,” Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) told The Independent. (Garcia, 12/18)
AP:
Speaker Johnson Confronts A Centrist Revolt On ACA Subsidies
Speaker Mike Johnson had a ready-made refrain when asked why Republicans weren’t moving to extend federal health care subsidies: their party wanted to help 100% of Americans with their costs, not just the 7% of Americans enrolled in Affordable Care Act plans. But not 100% of his conference agreed. A rare revolt from the moderate wing of the party has upended Johnson’s plans. (Cappelletti, 12/18)
KFF Health News:
'What the Health? From KFF Health News': Time’s Up For Expanded ACA Tax Credits
The enhanced premium tax credits that since 2021 have helped millions of Americans pay for insurance on the Affordable Care Act marketplaces will expire Dec. 31, despite a last-ditch effort by Democrats and some moderate Republicans in the House of Representatives to force a vote to continue them. That vote will happen, but not until Congress returns in January. (12/18)
The Washington Post:
How Rising ACA Costs Could Affect You
Extra subsidies that made Affordable Care Act plans more affordable for millions of Americans for the past five years are all but guaranteed to vanish on New Year’s Day. In January, most people who buy plans on HealthCare.gov or a state-run marketplace will see a rise in their monthly premium, ranging from a modest bump to hundreds or even thousands of dollars. (Winfield Cunningham and Whoriskey, 12/18)
The Washington Post:
Why Health Care Costs Will Skyrocket In 2026
One key factor could accelerate in the face of federal spending cuts. When hospitals or other entities buy other hospitals or physician practices, that gives the consolidated health system more leverage in negotiations with insurance companies. As a result, prices often spike. (Adams, 12/16)
News from the Senate —
Politico:
Senators Leave For The Holidays Without Passing Funding Package
Senate leaders gave up on trying to pass a government funding package before adjourning for the holidays, punting the issue to the new year — when lawmakers will have just a few weeks left to avoid a partial shutdown on Jan. 30. (Carney, Scholtes and Tully-McManus, 12/18)
MedPage Today:
How To Improve The Health Payment System? Experts Count The Ways At Senate Hearing
What's the best way to make sure providers are encouraged to provide the highest quality care at the lowest price? Witnesses at a Senate hearing on the topic offered different answers to that question. ... "For every dollar a worker receives in wages, the same dollar used for employer-sponsored health insurance is worth $1.51. Over eight decades, this massive tax subsidy has driven American healthcare prices skyward. Employers and insurers have little incentive to control costs or make their workers healthy."(Frieden, 12/18)
Related news about Medicare —
Politico:
Pramila Jayapal Pushes Medicare For All Polling
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) wants Medicare for All back in the health care debate. The former Congressional Progressive Caucus chair plans to present polling to her House Democratic colleagues next month as she argues for the electoral merits of Medicare for All — even in battleground districts the party must win to flip the House next fall. The research, paid for by Jayapal’s leadership PAC and shared first with POLITICO, found one in five Republicans support a “government-provided system,” as do most independents. Democrats back Medicare for All by 90 percent. (Schneider, 12/18)
The Hill:
Medicare Enrollees To Pay 50 Percent Less For Some Drugs Next Year: Study
Medicare enrollees could save roughly half of what they usually pay for certain drugs next year, according to a study from the AARP. The study, published Thursday, found that the out-of-pocket cost of 10 drugs included in the first round of Medicare drug price negotiation will decrease substantially in five states with high enrollment in the program — California, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas — once negotiated prices go into effect on Jan. 1, 2026. (Rego, 12/18)
Newsweek:
Three Medicare Coverage Changes Happening Next Month
The new year will usher in several key changes to Medicare coverage, and seniors could see significant impact to their health care. While lower prescription drug costs are on the menu, seniors will also face shifts in pricing, insulin caps and a new out-of-pocket limit under Part D. (Blake, 12/18)
Modern Healthcare:
CMS To End ACO REACH, Launch LEAD Model In 2027
ACO REACH will go away after four years and be replaced by a new Medicare accountable care organization model, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced Thursday. CMS introduced ACO Realizing Equity, Access and Community Health in 2022 as a successor to the Global and Professional Direct Contracting Model. Now, ACO REACH will sunset at the end of next year to make way for yet another iteration, dubbed Long-term Enhanced ACO Design, or LEAD, in 2027. (Early, 12/18)
