White House Set To Unveil Framework To Extend Obamacare Subsidies
President Donald Trump is reportedly preparing to unveil a health care framework that aims to curb rising insurance costs and force Congress to act before Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies expire at year's end.
The plan, expected as early as Monday, represents Trump’s most detailed health policy push since the government shutdown and comes amid growing political pressure over looming health premium spikes.
Citing White House officials, MS NOW reported the proposal would outline a two-year extension of the ACA, known as Obamacare, subsidies, updated eligibility limits, and several measures designed to stem premium increases that could affect roughly 22 million Americans.
The announcement is expected at the White House and will include remarks from Trump and Mehmet Oz, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrator.
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Congressional leaders, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson, were slated to receive a briefing on Sunday.
The timing of the rollout reflects a broader political urgency. Democrats made ACA premiums a centerpiece of the shutdown fight, pressing Republicans to agree to a December vote on extending subsidies.
The proposed legislation, the "Healthcare Price Cuts Act", would target what the administration calls "surprise premium hikes" under the ACA.
It would end "zero-premium" subsidies, a longstanding GOP concern tied to allegations of "ghost beneficiaries," by requiring a minimum payment to verify eligibility.
Trump's plan also introduces a deposit-based incentive program: individuals who choose lower-cost ACA plans would have the difference placed into a taxpayer-funded Health Savings Account, Politico reported.
The proposal further calls for Congress to appropriate money for cost-sharing reductions to lower out-of-pocket costs.
Polling from KFF indicates strong public interest in extending ACA tax credits, with 74% of Americans — including half of Republicans — supporting renewal. The White House framework would also set a new eligibility cap at up to 700% of the federal poverty line, consistent with discussions in a bipartisan Senate group.
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