President Donald Trump’s announcement on extending Obamacare subsidies, which was expected this week, has now been delayed amid Republican pushback. It comes as millions of Americans face steep health care cost increases when current Affordable Care Act tax credits expire at the end of the year.
The president’s draft proposal reportedly includes a two-year extension of those subsidies with new eligibility limits.
Multiple reports on Monday said the announcement was imminent, but both CNN and MS Now report it’s been delayed amid republican pushback.
However, not all Republicans are reflexively opposed.
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“We gotta quit pointing fingers. We gotta start doing something with this thing,” Rep. Tim Butchett, R-Tn, said in a video posted to social media. “At least Trump’s proposal does something over a two-year period, it keeps people from losing their insurance and it verifies that it’s not a bunch of frauds going on.”
He added, “It gets us to the dadgum table. Look, I don’t like the thing, but at least he’s proposing some changes. And we haven’t done anything in, what, 15 years? Everybody’s griping and moaning about it. At least Trump’s got the guts to do something about it. I say we ought to take a look at it.”
For now, it’s unclear if or when any subsidy extension will move forward.
Senate Republicans promised democrats a mid-December vote on ACA subsidies as part of the deal to reopen the government. When senators return from the Thanksgiving recess, that deadline will be just days away.
