Bipartisan U.S. House group still working on extending enhanced ACA subsidies

Republicans and Democrats released a two-year plan to scale back and extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies, but it faces long odds in the G.O.P.-led House (Source: “Bipartisan House Group Proposes Long-Shot Health Care Plan,” New York Times, Dec. 4).
 
A group of 35 House Republicans and Democrats on Thursday released a plan to scale back and extend for two years the Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire at the end of the year, a long-shot effort to address soaring health care premiums.
 
According to analysis by KFF, ACA marketplace premiums are expected to more than double next year if the enhanced premiums are not extended.
 
The plan has the backing of roughly 15 Republicans — far short of the “majority of the majority” that has become the standard level of support needed to compel House leadership to allow a bill to receive a floor vote.
 
With enhanced health insurance tax credits set to expire at the end of the month, Democrats have been intensifying pressure on Republicans to join them in backing an extension, their chief demand in the government shutdown fight that ended without any action to address the issue.
 
As part of its Healthcare Access and Affordability in Ohio series, HPIO recently released a policy explainer on changes to the federal health insurance marketplace.