WASHINGTON — Republicans and Democrats in the Senate agree that health care costs are rising too quickly and expect to vote next week on legislation that could help Americans.
The only catch is that party leaders hadn’t decided as of Tuesday what to include in the bills.
Senators also seemed to accept that neither proposal will garner the bipartisan support needed to advance, leaving the tens of millions of Americans who purchase their health insurance from the Affordable Care Act marketplace with complicated decisions to make before open enrollment ends Dec. 15.
ACA marketplace plans are expected to increase by 26% on average next year, though a failure by Congress to extend enhanced tax credits would lead monthly payments for subsidized enrollees to increase by 114% on average, according to analysis from the nonpartisan health organization KFF.
“I don’t think at this point we have a clear path forward,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said. “I don’t think the Democrats have a clear path forward.”
Vote on Democratic bill expected
Thune guaranteed a small group of Democratic senators a floor vote on a health care proposal of their choosing in exchange for their votes on the spending package that ended the government shutdown.
Democrats are widely expected to put forward a bill to extend enhanced tax credits for people who buy their health insurance from the Affordable Care Act Marketplace. Those subsidies are set to expire at the end of the year without congressional action.
But it isn’t clear if the Democratic bill would extend the credits for one year or a longer period.
GOP leaders are trying to rally support around a health care proposal of their own, while acknowledging it won’t get the 60 votes needed to advance under the Senate’s legislative filibuster rules.
Thune said Republican senators had a “robust discussion” about health care issues during their closed-door lunch, where Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo of Idaho and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy of Louisiana presented some ideas. But no final agreements were reached.
Thune, R-S.D., said conversations will continue ahead of the vote next week and likely afterward.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said Democrats “have a plan” but declined to say exactly what it entails.
“Stay tuned,” Schumer said. “We had a great discussion and I will tell you this: We will be focused like a laser on lowering people’s costs.”
Looking for a solution
West Virginia Sen. Shelley Moore Capito said Republican talks on health care have been “vigorous” but that they hadn’t yet “decided on the clear path.”
Capito said her “expectation” is that GOP senators will put a bill on the floor next week to bring down the costs of health insurance premiums and health care as quickly as possible, though that hadn’t been finalized.
