Health Care Subsidies at Risk: A Closer Look

Thu Dec 11 2025 21:27:49 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

As the U.S. Senate prepares to vote on competing health care bills, millions face the threat of soaring insurance costs due to expiring COVID-era subsidies. Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming decisions and their impact on American families.

The U.S. Senate is gearing up for votes on partisan health care measures aimed at addressing expiring COVID-era subsidies, which if not extended, could lead to a sharp increase in insurance premiums for millions of Americans. With midterms approaching, this issue grows increasingly critical as voters express concern about health care affordability. Proposed solutions include extending current subsidies or replacing them with health savings accounts, but neither approach appears likely to garner bipartisan support.

NEW YORK (AP) — As the U.S. Senate prepares to vote on rival health care bills this Thursday, millions of Americans could face a significant rise in their insurance costs due to the expiration of COVID-era subsidies.

With both legislative proposals facing challenges in passing, a solution for extending crucial financial support remains uncertain as the January 1 deadline looms. Without action, enrollees of the Affordable Care Act may see their premiums more than double, impacting their access to health care.

Polling indicates rising health care costs are a pressing concern for voters ahead of the upcoming midterm elections, adding urgency to the decisions at hand.

More than 24 million people depend on the Affordable Care Act for insurance, and while some members of Congress push to extend these subsidies, others advocate for replacing them with health savings accounts. However, each plan comes with its own complications and isn’t guaranteed to alleviate rising costs effectively.