01/01/2026
The end of health insurance subsidies will become the biggest political issue of the new year, with the midterm elections approaching. ๐ฉป๐ฉบ๐ฅผ๐ฅ๐
https://radiokorea.com/news/article.php?uid=488374
With the expiration of health insurance premium subsidies under Obamacare at the end of last year, Americans' premium burdens are expected to skyrocket starting in the new year. This will inevitably affect millions of Americans, from low-income to middle-income, and the controversy surrounding this issue is expected to become a major issue in US politics starting in the new year, with the midterm elections in November.
This is because the Republican and Democratic parties, facing extreme conflict, failed to enact legislation to extend or replace the subsidies, which expired on December 31st of last year.
The opposition Democratic Party proposed a three-year extension of the subsidies, but this was blocked by Republican opposition. Republican alternatives, including eliminating the subsidies but expanding tax-advantaged health savings accounts and distributing subsidies directly to low-income individuals rather than insurance companies, also failed to pass Congress due to Democratic opposition.
This issue was a major factor in last year's federal government shutdown becoming the longest in history.
The Hill, a U.S. Congressional news outlet, predicted today that a debate will unfold in Congress in the new year, when the subsidies expire.
This debate is expected to be fierce not only between the Republican and Democratic parties, which are sharply divided over whether to "repeal and replace" or "extend" the Obamacare subsidies, but also within each party.
First, the House of Representatives will vote on a bill to extend the subsidies for three years, which the opposition party pushed for late last year.
This was made possible by four centrist Republican House members signing a petition to block the Democratic bill from consideration.
This petition requires 218 signatures, a majority of the House, to allow a bill to be voted on in the full House without committee consideration. With these four members switching to the opposition party, the bill can proceed despite opposition from the Republican leadership, which controls the House. The bill is likely to pass in the House, where Republicans hold 220 seats and Democrats 213.
However, The Hill predicts that it will not pass in the Senate. President Donald Trump has also characterized Obamacare itself as a failed policy, claiming that the law only enriches insurance companies and that subsidies should be provided directly to Americans instead.
Ultimately, countless Americans will be left without health insurance, but reaching an agreement in Congress is expected to be a significant hurdle.
Citing health insurance non-profit organizations and experts, The Hill reported that premiums for health insurance plans signed up for through the ACA this year will rise by an average of 26%, and that policyholders' annual premiums will increase by an average of 114%, or $1,016, more than doubling from the previous year. The paper
also reported that experts estimate that between 2.2 million and 7.3 million people will decide not to renew their insurance.
Furthermore, the uninsured rate is expected to rise significantly among younger people compared to other age groups, and the uninsured rate is expected to increase the most among whites, following Blacks, at the highest rate.
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