Republicans are on the defensive as Democrats successfully wage the shutdown fight over health care.
Most Republicans said they do not want to see insurance premiums rise, but nor are they willing to openly support the expansion of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credit being sought by Democrats.
While the GOP has been united in refusing to consider the idea of an extension in the context of ending the shutdown, Republicans have no alternative plan for what happens next.
“We’re open to many different things. And the President also wants health care to work for everyone. Once we reopen, we’ll be open to good conversations, productive conversations,” said Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.).
Asked if the conversation would be about expanding tax credits, Mullin demurred.
He said, “I mean, there are a lot of options out there. I’m not saying it’s not a possibility, just not a possibility that we’ve really discussed.”
Democrats are feeling very bullish about their position and have made it clear that they have no intention of backing down on their demands for health care funding. If Congress doesn’t act in the next three weeks, Americans across the country could see a big increase in their insurance premiums when open enrollment begins in November.
While Republicans insist that Democrats vote to fund the government before any negotiations begin on health care, GOP leaders have been forced to join forces on an issue that has long been a political weakness for the party.
“They’re trying to make it about health care. It’s not. It’s about keeping Congress running so we can get health care. We were going to have it all along. They’re lying to you,” Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La) told reporters Thursday. “There was always going to be discussion and discussion and reflection and debate on health care issues in October and November.”
Congress has extended the increased subsidies twice, and Democrats insist they need to do so again, estimating premiums for millions of people will more than double next year.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) helped push the issue this week, warning that Republicans are hurting themselves in next year’s midterms if health care costs rise.
Democrats are willing to exploit GOP opposition rift,
“I never thought I’d say this, but Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene is right,” Senator Raphael Warnock (R-Ga.) wrote in a social platform X post on Tuesday. “Washington Republicans must work with us to defund health care and end this shutdown now.”
President Trump further said weakened the Republican message Around the shutdown, it was suggested this week that he was willing to negotiate with Democrats on health care.
Nearly 6 in 10 people who receive health coverage through the ACA marketplaces live in congressional districts represented by Republicans, according to the health research group KFF.
Additionally, the KFF poll found that a majority of Republicans and “Make America Great Again” supporters favor extending the enhanced tax credit.
However, many Republicans, despite the potential political pain, cannot afford to help Obamacare if they are blamed for the premium spike.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) said Friday that “90 percent” of the Republican conference thinks Obamacare, and by extension the increased subsidies, has failed.
“It’s not working for families. You can’t answer this by combining it with hundreds of billions of dollars of insurance company subsidies,” Scalise said.
“Why would you keep pouring billions of tax dollars into a sinkhole when you can find a better way? We are actually working right now on better options to lower premiums for families. The focus should be there, not on promoting a failed product called Obamacare.”
Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has said he is “willing to talk” about extending the increased subsidies, but he is not interested in even starting a discussion until the government is open.
“Where there’s a will, there’s a way. I mean, I think we can find a way forward on the premium issue,” Hawley said. “But you know the current government shutdown impasse is very ineffective for that, because there’s no willingness to talk across party lines right now.”
Senator Jim Justice (R-W.Va.) similarly said he wanted to do something to help working families who would be hurt by premium increases, but only when the government reopens.
He could support a shorter “runway” to reduce subsidies but thinks they should be eliminated. Republicans are working to fix the broader economy, which will help soften the blow, he said.
Justice said, “So, I really understand that people will be hurt, you know, to some extent, but we’re trying to give reward, reward, reward to compensate for the injury.” “We’ve extended tax breaks. We’ve done a lot of work here and we’re trying to get the entire economy back on track.”
Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) said he is focused on the appropriations process. Once the government is open, lawmakers can figure out what to do about the increased tax credits.
But until that happens, it is not worth discussing.
“The priority for me is making government work and taking care of the people who typically benefit from the government,” Moran said. “Our focus right now is on getting the government to work and completing our appropriations process.”
Amid the standoff, some lawmakers have floated the idea of asking GOP leaders to vote on increased ACA subsidies at the end of the year in exchange for Democratic votes to end the shutdown.
But the idea was rejected by Democratic leaders, who wanted something more concrete and distrusted Republicans because of their long record of opposition to the ACA.
“Republicans have zero credibility on the issue of health care,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) told reporters at the Capitol on Friday.
“What we have said to our Republican colleagues is that we must decisively address the health care crisis they have created,” he said. “It means legislative. And it means right now.”
