Republicans have despised the Affordable Care Act since its inception almost 15 years ago. But some health care executives think Republicans may actually help the law as they regain control of Washington.
Enhanced tax credits that help millions of middle-income Americans afford health plans on the ACA’s individual marketplaces, signed into law by President Biden, expire at the end of 2025. Conservatives have railed against those subsidies as wasteful spending, but millions of people now depend on them: More than 21 million people had an ACA plan this year, compared with 12 million in 2021, when the enhanced subsidies started rolling out.
And executives are banking on President-elect Trump and congressional Republicans not wanting to take the blame if millions of people who currently get these subsidies — many of whom live in red states — suddenly find themselves with coverage they can’t afford.
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