Senate Dems to force ACA vote while competing plans float in the House

The Senate is expected to vote later this week on a Democratic proposal to extend expiring enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits and prevent health insurance premiums from skyrocketing for millions of Americans.

Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Democrats will force a vote on a bill that he described as a “clean” three-year extension of the enhanced ACA credits that first passed as part of the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021, and capping premiums for an average marketplace plan to 8.5% of income.

Enhanced tax credits that enabled more people to buy coverage in the ACA marketplace were part of the American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act of 2021. However, those enhanced tax credits are due to expire Dec. 31, unless Congress acts to extend them. The end of enhanced tax credits means that millions of Americans who use them to obtain coverage will see their health care premiums more than double on average.

However, it’s doubtful that the bill will have enough votes in the Senate to pass. The Democratic proposal needs 60 votes to end debate and advance to a final simple-majority vote in the Senate, where Republicans control 53 of 100 seats.

House Republicans propose two more ACA options

Meanwhile, two more options have been proposed by Senate Republicans in an attempt to solve the standoff over the expiring enhanced tax credits. These proposals are in addition to several other plans announced by House and Senate members of both parties.

The most recent proposals include:

• The Moreno-Collins CARE Act.Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio and Susan Collins, R-Main, introduced the Consumer Affordability and Responsibility Enhancement Act that would create a two-year extension of expiring ACA enhanced subsidies.

Like other plans that have been floated, the bill would include an income cap for the enhanced tax credits — for households earning $200,000 or more — along with ending $0 premiums by requiring a $25 minimum monthly payment.

• Cassidy-Crapo framework. A proposal by Sens. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, doesn’t extend the subsidies but would redirect that money into health savings accounts paired with bronze or catastrophic plans on the ACA exchanges.

Under the proposal, certain ACA enrollees earning less than 700% of the federal poverty level would receive $1,000 in an HSA if they’re 18 to 49 years old, and $1,500 if they’re 50 to 64.

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