President Donald Trump is reportedly delaying his healthcare plan after House Republicans pushed back on his idea to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) told Trump that the subsidy extension is a no-go for many Republicans in Congress.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the speaker “cautioned the White House that most Republcians don’t have an appetite for extending enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, according to people familiar with the matter, showing how hard itt will be politically to stave off sharp increases in healthcare costs next year for many Americans.”
This comes after the Schumer Shutdown finally ended earlier this month. Much of the impasse centered on the subsidies, with Democrats demanding an extension and Republicans refusing.
Trump and his team have been working on a proposal that would have extended the subsidies by two more years so that millions of Americans could avoid skyrocketing premiums when the subsidies expire at the end of the year.
Nobody in the media wants to highlight this part of Trump’s healthcare plan, but he said it straight:
— Jake (@JakeCan72) November 13, 2025
“Instead of giving hundreds of billions of dollars to these money-sucking insurance companies, we’re going to give it to the American people.”
He blasted Obamacare for creating… pic.twitter.com/TUpN8KPKRM
President Trump’s plan would also limit the subsidies to people with incomes up to 700 percent of the federal poverty line, according to Politico. However, not all Republican lawmakers are against extending the subsidies. The report notes that “GOP moderates and lawmakers in competitive seats are anxiously throwing bills together, worried about the political fallout that could await them if the subsidies expire at year’s end and premiums skyrocket.”
Some Republicans, including Trump, have floated the idea of sending money directly to consumers so they can purchase their own insurance. But this idea has not quite gained the level of traction needed to push through legislation.
Still, several bipartisan proposals are in the running. Representatives Jeff Hurd (R-Colo.), Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), and Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) introduced the Bipartisan Healthcare Optimization Protection Extension (HOPE) Act, which would extend enhanced premium tax credits for two years with an income cap of approximately $200,000 for a family of four. The proposal would also include anti-fraud provisions.
“I don’t care how red or blue your district is, this is something that your constituents care about,” Hurd said.
If the subsidies are allowed to lapse, it could affect about 20 to 23 million Americans who would face heightened premiums. A Colorado Polling Institute pull found that three out of four Coloradans want Congress to extend the tax credits. A majority viewed healthcare costs as a major problem.