House Speaker Declines ACA Subsidy Vote, Impacting Insurance Premiums

House Speaker Mike Johnson announced that he will not call a vote to extend the enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies, ensuring they expire at the end of the month. This decision is expected to lead to higher insurance premiums for millions of Americans covered under the ACA in the coming year. The announcement followed failed negotiations between GOP leadership and centrist Republicans who sought to include an ACA subsidy extension amendment in an upcoming health care bill vote. Centrist Republicans such as Reps. Jen Kiggans, Brian Fitzpatrick, and Mike Lawler have pushed for the extension, highlighting the financial impact on constituents in competitive districts. However, Johnson emphasized GOP unity in supporting the broader health care bill, despite internal disagreements on the ACA subsidy issue. A significant obstacle in the negotiations was the requirement for spending cuts to offset the approximately $35 billion annual cost of the subsidy extension, a condition that centrist members found difficult to meet amid perceived inconsistencies in party budget rules. Some Republicans have indicated openness to supporting a Democratic-led discharge petition to force a vote on a clean three-year extension, although the likelihood of such a petition succeeding in the short term appears limited. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries continues to advocate for a clean extension with unanimous Democratic backing, underscoring the partisan divides in ACA subsidy policy. The impasse highlights ongoing challenges in balancing fiscal priorities with health insurance affordability in Congress, with potential legislative efforts deferred to early next year. Minority and majority party members express differing strategies and priorities, with the Senate having already rejected extensions of enhanced subsidies, complicating prospects for immediate legislative resolution.