Name: Health insurance costs to spike for millions Thursday
Uploaded: 2026-01-01T03:19:08.408Z
Duration: 4 min 19 s
Description: Millions of Americans will face higher healthcare costs starting January 1 as enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies expire after Congress failed to extend them. Experts predict premium increases averaging 114% for subsidized enrollees. Trump blames Democrats and proposes direct payments to Americans for healthcare purchases, while Democrats blame Republican obstruction.

Millions of Americans will face higher healthcare costs starting January 1 as enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies expire after Congress failed to extend them. Experts predict premium increases averaging 114% for subsidized enrollees. Trump blames Democrats and proposes direct payments to Americans for healthcare purchases, while Democrats blame Republican obstruction.

Washington

Health insurance premiums are set to increase significantly for millions of Americans as enhanced subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, expire. Congress was unable to reach an agreement to extend these subsidies, resulting in an average estimated premium increase of 114% for subsidized enrollees, though actual increases will vary by income and location.

The expiration of the subsidies has sparked political debate, with President Trump blaming Democrats and proposing direct payments to individuals, while Democratic leaders accuse Republicans of blocking efforts to extend the financial support. Some House Republicans have joined Democrats in attempting to force a vote on the issue, but legislative action is not expected until the new year, leaving the future of ACA subsidies uncertain.

Health insurance costs to spike for millions Thursday

HEALTH CARE COSTS ARE SET TO SKYROCKET FOR MILLIONS OF PEOPLE TOMORROW, JANUARY 1ST. THAT'S BECAUSE THOSE OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES ARE SET TO EXPIRE AND CONGRESS FAILED TO COME UP WITH A PLAN TO STOP THAT FROM HAPPENING. SCRIPPS NEWS WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT HALEY BULL LIVE FOR US NOW. HALEY, LET'S BREAK THIS DOWN. HOW HAS THE WHITE HOUSE BEEN MESSAGING ON THIS ISSUE AND REALLY, WHAT CAN AMERICANS EXPECT IN THE NEW YEAR? Obviously health care costs are set to be a major topic when the president and the lawmakers return to Washington D.C. in the new year. As you mentioned, subsidies enhanced during the pandemic and later extended will expire after today after lawmakers failed to reach a consensus on an extension or new health care policy. And experts expect premiums to increase for many Americans who buy their health care insurance through the ACA marketplace. KFF, for instance, estimates annual out-of-pocket premium payments for subsidized enrollees will increase by an average of 114 percent, though the exact amount varies widely depending on individuals' income, state and other factors. CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz defended the expiration in an interview with Scripps News this week telling you this, Haley. So the program, the Obamacare program, is just going to go back to the way it was functioning for the first 10 years of its existence. There were additional subsidies beyond the 80 percent that we pay right now from the federal government. So again, if you're on Obamacare, eight out of ten dollars is paid by the federal government. You're only paying 20 percent of the money. The COVID-era crisis catalyzed action by Congress for a short-term period, just for a couple years to cover the gap just so people can get back on their feet again. I think we all agree that the COVID pandemic is over. People are going to get back on, and they should get back on their feet. And so not extending the subsidies beyond what they were originally designed to do is wise. And Haley, as those subsidies expire, President Trump has sought to put the blame on Democrats decrying Obamacare as what he has called a disaster. He says he instead wants to give money directly to Americans to buy their own health care, though has not offered specific details on how exactly that would work. Trump says he wants to meet with health insurance companies in the new year about cutting rates. We've reached out to a number of the nation's largest insurers. The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association telling us in part, quote, we are eager to drive solutions with President Trump and Congress that bring down the cost of health care. President Trump saying this on the goal of such a meeting last week. And I want to meet with them and I want to say, I want you to cut your rates way down, way, way down. And maybe if they do that, we'll be able to not cut them out. We'll be able to continue to deal with them, which is probably a little easier process. I think the best process is pay the money directly to the people, let them buy their own health care. Meanwhile, Holly, Democrats are blaming Republicans for this, some Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer is blaming what he called Republican obstruction and inaction for what he describes as a health care crisis, stating in part, quote, millions of hardworking families, small business owners and employees, older Americans and farmers and ranchers will face impossible choices. Senate Republicans had multiple chances to work with Democrats to stop premiums from skyrocketing and every time they blocked action on the House side, several House Republicans joined Democrats in signing on to a discharge petition to try to force a vote on extending the subsidies. That's likely not to be taken up until January. The Senate, though, its fate there remains in question. They have failed to get the votes to advance a similar measure in the past. Holly. All right. It's poised to be a very busy start of the new year. Scripps News White House correspondent Haley Bull live for us. Thank you, Haley.

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