• White House delays unveiling of proposal addressing Affordable Care Act subsidies
• Some GOP lawmakers express concern over reported two-year subsidy extension
• Nearly 22 million Americans face potential premium increases if subsidies expire

WASHINGTON, DC (TDR) — The White House has postponed an expected announcement on a healthcare proposal that would address the looming expiration of Affordable Care Act premium subsidies, according to administration officials, following objections from some congressional Republicans who learned details of the plan over the weekend.

President Donald Trump was expected to unveil the proposal Monday, but the announcement has been delayed as the administration reworks elements of the plan. White House spokesman Kush Desai stated that “until President Trump makes an announcement himself, any reporting about the Administration’s healthcare positions is mere speculation.”

Congressional concerns emerge

The proposed framework reportedly included a two-year extension of ACA subsidies with modifications, including potential income limits and requirements that all enrollees pay some form of premium. However, the plan caught some Republican lawmakers by surprise.

“I wasn’t expecting the proposal to be Obamacare-lite. Absolutely not supportive of extending ACA subsidies.”

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One conservative House Republican, speaking anonymously to discuss the unreleased plan, expressed opposition to the approach. Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma told reporters last week that he would not support placing “a Band-Aid on something that’s broken.”

The White House appears not to have sought significant input from Capitol Hill before developing the proposal, with Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune reportedly briefed on the plan for the first time Sunday afternoon.

Stakes for millions of enrollees

The enhanced premium tax credits, first enacted in 2021 and extended through 2025, currently support nearly 22 million Americans who purchase insurance through the ACA marketplace. Without congressional action, these subsidies will expire at year’s end.

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According to KFF, a nonpartisan health policy research organization, premium payments would increase 114% on average if the subsidies lapse, rising from $888 annually in 2025 to $1,904 in 2026. The Congressional Budget Office projects that 2.2 million people would become uninsured in 2026, increasing to 3.7 million by 2027.

Competing positions within GOP

The Republican caucus remains divided on how to proceed. More moderate members, including Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, have advocated for extending the subsidies. Rep. Jen Kiggans of Virginia told colleagues at a recent closed-door meeting that “doing nothing on health care is not the right answer.”

Trump has previously stated on Truth Social that he would only support sending subsidies directly to consumers rather than to insurance companies, writing in all caps: “The people will be allowed to negotiate and buy their own, much better, insurance.”

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that a healthcare announcement would come this week, though the timing now remains uncertain. The delay comes as Senate Republicans have agreed to hold a mid-December vote on extending the enhanced subsidies, a concession made to Democrats in exchange for ending the recent government shutdown.

Democrats have indicated they will use any premium increases against Republicans in the 2026 midterm elections, similar to the strategy employed during the 2018 midterms when the party regained control of the House following GOP efforts to repeal the ACA.

How should lawmakers balance concerns about healthcare costs with the potential impact on millions of current enrollees?

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