health care vote affordable care act obamacare.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., joined at left by Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., speaks to reporters after a closed-door meeting with fellow Republicans, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Senate poised to reject extension of health care subsidies as costs rise for many

The Senate is poised to reject legislation to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits for millions of Americans. Thursday’s planned vote is a potentially unceremonious end to a monthslong Democratic effort to prevent the COVID-era subsidies from expiring on Jan. 1. Despite a bipartisan desire to continue the credits, Republicans and Democrats have never engaged in meaningful or high-level negotiations on a solution. Instead, the Senate is expected to vote on two partisan bills and defeat them both — essentially guaranteeing that many who buy their health insurance on the ACA marketplaces could see a steep rise in costs at the beginning of the year.

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