Knowing Who To Blame When ACA Premiums Explode

 

If there was any doubt, that headline puts the blame squarely where it lies.  From NBC News:

It’s official: House Speaker Mike Johnson says he won’t call a vote to extend enhanced subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, effectively guaranteeing they will expire at the end of this month.

That means higher insurance premiums will go into effect for millions of Americans who get coverage through Obamacare next year.

The speaker made the announcement Tuesday after a closed-door Republican caucus meeting, saying that leadership failed to reach a deal with centrist members to bring up an ACA amendment on a health care bill set for a vote on Wednesday.

But, do we see a glimmer of hope, with Democrats and some Republicans coming to the rescue?

Some Republicans who want to extend the subsidies have not ruled out signing onto a “discharge petition” by Democrats to end-run Johnson and force a vote on a clean three-year extension of ACA subsidies.

The GOP divisions are likely to empower House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., who is insisting on a clean three-year extension with the support of all Democrats. Some Democrats have backed a shorter-term extension with some reforms to win GOP votes, but Jeffries is holding firm.

“There are 214 Democrats who have signed a discharge petition that would force an up-or-down vote on extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits — to make sure that tens of millions of Americans don’t experience increased health insurance premiums that will prevent them from being able to go see a doctor when they need one,” Jeffries said Monday. “All we need are four House Republicans to join us."

But the MAGA Republicans are looking to run out the clock:

Even if a discharge petition secured the votes to pass, which is far from certain, it would take time to reach the House floor. That effectively guarantees it’ll be pushed into next year, with Republicans hoping to adjourn after this week.

Even if all the obstacles were cleared before adjournment, there's virtually no chance the MAGA Republican Senate would pass the ACA tax credit extensions, something they've already voted down.

As Rep. Lawler (R-NY) says in the linked article, "Three-quarters of people on Obamacare are in states Donald Trump won."  That should help make the 2026 mid-terms even more interesting.

BONUS:  They're on the wrong side of public opinion (except for their sociopathic base) and the wrong side of history --