Trump was set to unveil health care plan until Republicans objected: report

First Lady Melania Trump listens as President Donald J. Trump delivers remarks during the September 11th Pentagon Observance Ceremony Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019, at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)

President Donald Trump was expected to announce as soon as Monday a long-awaited fix for the expiring Obamacare subsidies, to prevent health care premiums from skyrocketing to double and in some cases even triple their current levels, but congressional Republicans reportedly have objected.

Trump was prepared to extend the subsidies for two more years, according to multiple reports including from MS NOW‘s Jake Traylor and Politico.

Traylor had reported that the president would be calling on Congress to send him legislation that would halt the Obamacare premium spikes.

“The announcement is expected to occur at the White House, and is slated to feature remarks from Trump and Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services,” Traylor had reported on Sunday.

Also on Sunday, Politico had reported that “The White House expects to soon unveil a health policy framework that includes a two-year extension of Obamacare subsidies due to expire at the end of next month and new limits on eligibility, according to three people granted anonymity to discuss the unannounced plans.”

Trump has on his Monday schedule a 4 PM Oval Office executive order signing scheduled. It is unclear if that was to be for the extension of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies.

Now, Traylor reports, “White House to delay healthcare proposal after significant congressional backlash.”

“According to two White House officials the announcement has been delayed, with one of those officials citing strong congressional backlash to Trump’s proposed plan. Trump planned to make an announcement as early as Monday proposing a framework to address health care costs which included an extension of Obamacare subsides.”

Monday afternoon, CNBC reported that “Republicans are proposing direct Health Savings Account payments to ACA enrollees rather than extending enhanced premium tax credits.”

“The White House is expected to make an announcement this week addressing efforts to either renew or replace the Affordable Care Act enhanced premium tax credits, according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent,” CNBC added, appearing to make clear any decision has yet to be set in stone.

Bobby Kogan, Senior Director of Federal Budget Policy at American Progress, responded to Traylor’s reporting:

“It’s because congressional Republicans want the enhanced subsidies to expire,” Kogan wrote. “That’s why they didn’t extend them in [the One Big Beautiful Bill Act], and that’s why they kept calling them a ‘December problem’ even though open enrollment [began] on November 1.”

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