Republicans Clash Over Health Care Subsidies

House Speaker Mike Johnson is preparing to unveil a health care package next week, but not everyone in his party is on board. A group of Republicans, mostly from swing districts, are pushing for a vote on extending the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies before they expire at the end of the month. These subsidies help keep health insurance premiums affordable for over 20 million Americans. Johnson has not yet shared the details of his plan, but it seems unlikely to include an extension of the ACA subsidies. Instead, he mentioned options like Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and changes to pharmacy benefit managers during a recent meeting with Republicans. However, lawmakers left the meeting without a clear plan. A group of mainly moderate Republicans wants Congress to address the subsidies before they expire. They have signed onto bipartisan discharge petitions to force a vote on the issue. These petitions need 218 signatures to trigger a vote, but it's unclear if they will get enough support from Democrats. Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Democrat Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey have filed separate but similar discharge petitions. As of Thursday, 11 Republicans had signed onto both petitions. Johnson, however, is not supportive of these efforts. He stated that their package will reduce premiums for all Americans, not just a small percentage. Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, who supports both discharge petitions, warned about the political consequences of not extending the subsidies. He believes it will negatively impact the midterm elections for Republicans. Bacon also noted that failing to act will result in higher premiums for all constituents, which he finds unacceptable.