Centrist Republicans just delivered a major blow to Speaker Mike Johnson’s health care agenda, siding with Democrats to force a vote on extending crucial Affordable Care Act subsidies. Four Republican lawmakers signed a “discharge petition” on Wednesday, finally giving House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and the Democrats the 218 signatures necessary to bypass leadership.
This is huge news because if these enhanced premium tax credits expire, which is expected to happen on December 31, insurance costs could double for an estimated 22 million Americans who rely on the ACA marketplace. Honestly, doubling those costs right after the holidays would be absolutely brutal for families trying to budget. The enhanced tax credits were originally passed in 2021 under President Joe Biden to cap premiums for “benchmark” plans at 8.5% of income, per NBC News.
