Widely expected plans by President Donald Trump to unveil a framework to extend expiring Obamacare subsidies are at risk of being scrapped due to revolt from Republicans.
Trump’s initial plan, which was expected to be announced as early as Monday, was set to include a two-year extension of the enhanced subsidies for marketplace plans, restoring an income cap, requiring a minimum monthly out-of-pocket payment, and health savings account money for those who opt for lower-level plans, according to reports.
But the conservative backlash was palpable both in public and private, particularly from Republicans in the House, who suggested the president was ceding too much ground to Democratic healthcare demands and that the White House should consult more closely with GOP lawmakers.
A House Republican, who was granted anonymity to discuss talks among colleagues, described the private reaction to reported details about Trump’s yet-to-be-released proposal as “not good.”
“This is what happens when policies are made in darkness,” they told the Washington Examiner.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt later declined to rule out a possible announcement from the president.
“Right now, the president is very much involved in these talks, and he’s very focused on unveiling a healthcare proposal that will fix the system and will bring down costs for consumers,” Leavitt told reporters at the White House. “As for the details of those discussions, I’ll let the president speak for himself.”
Some initial GOP feedback was more openly negative. Rep. Bob Onder (R-MO), a physician and member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, said in a series of posts that “doubling down on a broken system is not reform” and that he was “hoping” a pitch from the president for an extension with limits “isn’t true.”
Others, such as Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN), appeared more open-minded, despite broader opposition to extending the pandemic-era enhanced subsidies that will expire at year’s end. In addition, at least one Senate Democrat expressed cautious optimism about Trump’s plan that a bipartisan deal could be reached to prevent out-of-pocket premiums from skyrocketing for millions of people.
“A lot of folks are getting nervous because the president of the United States has the audacity to propose some changes” to Obamacare, Burchett said in a video posted to X. “Everybody’s going to freak out, clutch their pearls, and wring their hands. Look, that’s why you negotiate. You put something on the dadgum table, and then you fight over it.”
Burchett added that he does not support the details of the framework but predicted that Republicans “will probably kill it in the press, and everybody will be anonymous sources.”
“We haven’t done anything in, what, 15 years? Everyone’s griping and moaning about it,” he continued. “At least Trump’s got the guts to do something about it.”
Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH), one of eight Senate Democrats who crafted the shutdown-ending deal with Republicans to reopen the government, said a formal proposal would be evidence of Trump and congressional Republicans “now coming to the table” ahead of the subsidy cliff and a promised vote next month by Senate GOP leadership on a healthcare bill of Democrats’ choosing.
“While I have significant concerns about some of the ideas reportedly in the president’s proposal, it nonetheless represents a starting point for serious negotiations,” Hassan said in a statement. “The fact that President Trump is putting forward any offer at all to extend the Affordable Care Act’s tax credits shows that there is a broad understanding that inaction in this regard will cause serious harm to the American people.”
As part of a government funding deal to end the shutdown, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) promised Democrats a floor vote to address the subsidies on a bill of their choosing by the second week of December, before Congress heads home for the remainder of the year. Bipartisan talks have continued behind the scenes in a bid to find a solution that could muster the 60 votes needed to clear a filibuster.
Trump and Republicans face possible backlash at the ballot box in the 2026 midterm elections if the healthcare credits are not addressed. And Democrats are ready to wield healthcare as an election rallying cry to try to topple the Republican majorities in the House and Senate.
BIPARTISAN HOUSE GROUP FLOATS COMPROMISE ON OBAMACARE SUBSIDY EXTENSION
Publicly, Trump has pushed for redirecting the subsidies from insurance companies to individual health savings accounts, echoing GOP concerns that federal aid has done more to line the pockets of corporations than lower healthcare costs for people.
“THE ONLY HEALTHCARE I WILL SUPPORT OR APPROVE IS SENDING THE MONEY DIRECTLY BACK TO THE PEOPLE, WITH NOTHING GOING TO THE BIG, FAT, RICH INSURANCE COMPANIES, WHO HAVE MADE $TRILLIONS, AND RIPPED OFF AMERICA LONG ENOUGH,” Trump wrote in a recent Truth Social post. “THE PEOPLE WILL BE ALLOWED TO NEGOTIATE AND BUY THEIR OWN, MUCH BETTER, INSURANCE. POWER TO THE PEOPLE! Congress, do not waste your time and energy on anything else.”
Naomi Lim and Lauren Green contributed to this report.
