The enhanced Obamacare subsidies Democrats shut down the government to protect back in October are officially dead. House Speaker Mike Johnson slammed the door on extending the bloated COVID-era handout, saying the House will focus instead on moving forward with a new Republican healthcare package.
The temporary subsidies, born out of pandemic panic, were supposed to expire at the end of this year. Democrats, of course, wanted them extended indefinitely—because nothing is ever temporary in Washington when it involves taxpayer money. But Johnson made it clear on Tuesday that this was the end of the line. During a press conference, he confirmed there will be no vote on extending those “enhanced” subsidies. Instead, he wants the House focused on what he calls a “better and more responsible” Republican alternative.
The COVID subsidies were little more than an expensive Band-Aid on a broken system—lipstick on the Obamacare pig. Republicans have long argued that instead of driving down healthcare costs, these subsidies did exactly the opposite: they masked Obamacare’s failures while saddling taxpayers with more debt. Every moment the subsidies were in place, they drained more from the public’s wallet. They weren’t a viable solution.
Predictably, not everyone on the right is thrilled. About a dozen Republicans from swing districts wanted a vote on keeping the subsidies alive a little longer to appease voters back home. Johnson acknowledged their frustration. “Many of them did want to vote on this ObamaCare COVID-era subsidy the Democrats created,” he said, but he explained that leadership “looked for a way to try to allow for that pressure release valve, and it just was not to be.” In other words, the Obamacare subsidies are dead.
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Republicans clearly understand that playing defense on the Obamacare problem is a losing game. You can’t fix a failing system by pouring more taxpayer money into it. You have to build something better. That’s exactly what Johnson plans to do with the new Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act, a Republican-led effort to deliver a more affordable, sustainable healthcare solution. It seeks to restructure how families access healthcare coverage without forcing Washington to keep writing bigger checks. For conservatives, this isn’t just about letting a bad subsidy expire; it’s about turning the page on Obamacare’s false promises.
Personally, I’m all for a “repeal and replace,” but I’m willing to accept any baby steps in the right direction. Getting rid of the subsidies is the first step. Fixing Obamacare is the next step. Johnson’s strategy emphasizes fiscal discipline and a clear contrast with the Democrats’ “spend now and hope for the best” approach. And let’s face it—Obamacare was a disaster before the pandemic. The subsidies only delayed the inevitable.
Now that they’re gone, the cracks in the system can’t be covered up anymore. The reality is exposed: Obamacare doesn’t work, and the temporary fixes only made things worse. Democrats can cry about “access” and “affordability” all they want, but the truth is simple—throwing endless taxpayer money at a broken program never made healthcare cheaper.
Republicans have a chance to show the country what real reform looks like. With the subsidies finally dead and buried, it’s time to stop pretending Obamacare can be saved—and to start proving there’s a better way forward.
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