Dueling healthcare bills rejected by Senate as Obamacare subsidies set to expire

Published December 11, 2025 1:13pm ET



Clashing healthcare plans from Republicans and Democrats both failed to advance in the Senate on Thursday, dividing lawmakers along mostly party lines and all but ensuring that Congress will fail to address enhanced Obamacare subsidies that expire at year’s end.

A Democratic proposal for a three-year extension of the pandemic-era premium subsidies failed 51-48, and a GOP counterproposal to instead provide up to $1,500 annually to qualifying recipients for health savings accounts was shot down by the same vote tally.

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