Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. he talks to reporters on his way to his office on November 10, 2025, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Tom Brenner/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans and Democrats agree that health care costs are rising too quickly and expect to vote next week on legislation that could lend a hand Americans.
The only catch is that as of Tuesday, party leaders had not decided what to include in the bills.
Senators also seemed to accept that neither proposal would provide the bipartisan support needed to make progress, leaving tens of millions of Americans who buy health insurance on the Affordable Care Act platform with complicated decisions to make before the Dec. 15 end of open enrollment.
ACA marketplace plans are expected to boost by an average of 26% next year, although a failure by Congress to extend enhanced tax credits would result in monthly payments to subsidized participants increasing by an average of 114%, according to analysis from the non-partisan health organization KFF.
“I don’t think we have a clear path forward at this point,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said. “I don’t think Democrats have a clear path forward.”
Vote on Democratic bill expected
Thune gave a diminutive group of Democratic senators the right to vote on their chosen health care proposal in exchange for their votes on the spending package that ended the government shutdown.
Democrats are widely expected to introduce a bill to expand increased tax credits for people who purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace. Without action by Congress, these grants will expire at the end of the year.
However, it is unclear whether the Democrats’ bill would extend the loans for a year or for a longer period.
GOP leaders are trying to rally support around their own health care proposal while acknowledging it won’t get the 60 votes needed to advance under Senate rules on legislative filibuster.
Thune said Republican senators had a “lively discussion” on health care issues during a closed-door lunch, during which Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy, D-Louisiana, offered several ideas. However, no final agreements have been reached.
Thune, RSD, said talks would continue ahead of next week’s vote and possibly after.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Democrats “have a plan” but wouldn’t say what exactly it means.
“Stay tuned,” Schumer said. “We had a great discussion, and let me tell you this: We will be focused like a laser on lowering people costs.”
You are looking for a solution
West Virginia Sen. Shelley Moore Capito said Republicans’ talks on health care have been “intense” but have not “chosen a clear path yet.”
Capito said her “expectation” is that GOP senators will introduce a bill next week aimed at lowering the cost of health insurance premiums and health care as soon as possible, although that has not yet been finalized.
“I like the idea of people having control over their money, unlike insurance companies where they make 20% of the profit,” Capito said, echoing comments from President Donald Trump. “I think it has advantages.”
Capito said senators at lunch did not discuss whether to extend enrollment past Dec. 15 or reopen it next year if Congress passes a health care bill that somehow incorporates the ACA marketplace tax credits.
New Hampshire Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen said there is no indication there will be a bipartisan agreement on extending enhanced ACA subsidies or any other health care proposal by next week’s vote, although bipartisan talks continue.
As for the Democrats’ plan, Shaheen said it was “unclear” what legislation party leaders would put on the ballot or when they would announce it.
“Remembering the Timeline”
North Dakota Republican Sen. John Hoeven said there is “strong support” from GOP lawmakers for making changes to how the ACA enhanced tax credits work before extending them for any period.
However, he said negotiations would take more time.
“In my opinion, if we have (a vote) next week, we probably won’t be able to reach a major bipartisan agreement,” Hoeven said. “They are more likely to create something that will fail. We will create something that will fail. And we are still working on something that will hopefully work and be bipartisan.”
He said there is a “good chance” this will happen in December or January, and the schedule will likely include a solution once open enrollment closes.
Hoeven wouldn’t say whether the deal would extend open enrollment or give Americans a second window to choose insurance, but said Republicans are aware of the deadlines.
“We are very attentive to the schedule,” Hoeven said. “So all the things we are talking about take into account the fact that this has to come into force next year or this year.”
