ACA subsidies help lower premiums and out-of-pocket costs for more than 20 million Americans, according to the non-partisan Kaiser Family Foundation. Without congressional action, those subsidies are scheduled to expire on Dec. 31. Democrats argue that the protection must be included in any stopgap funding measure, while GOP leaders insist that reopening the government must precede negotiations on other issues.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., on Friday dismissed the Democratic plan as a “non-starter.” By Saturday, Trump publicly sought a different approach, urging his party to put the money “directly to the people” instead of to insurers. The White House did not answer questions about how such a shift would be implemented, how much money would be involved or whether the administration has drafted legislative text.
Spokespersons for Schumer and Thune did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Offices for House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., also remained silent on the president’s proposal.
The political impasse has halted many federal operations for more than five weeks. Democrats maintain that federal workers, contractors and agencies should not be caught in a dispute over health-care policy. Republicans counter that a “clean” funding bill—one without additional policy riders—should be passed first, contending that wider debates over health care can be handled after the government is reopened.
Beyond the subsidy dispute, Trump on Saturday renewed calls to abolish the Senate filibuster, the procedural hurdle that requires 60 votes to pass most legislation. With Republicans holding 53 seats, eliminating the filibuster would allow many bills to pass by a simple majority. “Whether we make a Deal or not, THE REPUBLICANS MUST ‘BLOW UP’ THE FILIBUSTER,” the president wrote, asserting that Democrats are “cracking” under shutdown pressure.
Senate Republicans have repeatedly rejected changing the rule. Earlier in the week, several GOP senators said they did not support invoking what Trump labeled the “Nuclear Option,” citing concerns about future majorities wielding the same power.
Trump’s push to send ACA funds directly to individuals marks his latest attempt to reshape health policy without a comprehensive legislative package. During previous shutdown fights, the White House backed temporary extensions of subsidies while broader negotiations continued. The president’s Saturday message, however, suggested bypassing insurers altogether—an approach that would require new legislative authority and could upend current marketplace structures.
The Department of Health and Human Services has not issued guidance on contingency plans should subsidies lapse. Health analysts warn that an expiration could raise premiums and reduce coverage for millions enrolled through state and federal exchanges. Insurers, for their part, say that sudden funding changes could disrupt actuarial calculations made for the 2026 coverage year, potentially leading to market exits or premium spikes.
Lawmakers are scheduled to return to Washington next week. No votes have been set on either the Democratic proposal to extend subsidies or Trump’s concept of redirecting funds to consumers. Congressional negotiators have indicated that any deal must address both agency funding levels and policy conditions tied to the ACA, but no timetable for an agreement has emerged.
As talks continue, federal employees remain on furlough or working without pay, and key services—ranging from national park operations to certain regulatory activities—are curtailed. The shutdown’s economic impact is expected to widen if the stalemate extends deeper into the fourth quarter, according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office.
Crédito da imagem: Reuters
