Here’s the phony reason the US Senate hasn’t voted to restore ACA tax credits

Is there really a need to add language about abortion care?

It was, to some, a pleasant surprise to see 17 House Republicans switch positions and allow for the passage of a bill to restore the recently-expired Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits. But there doesn’t appear to be any rush to take a vote in the US Senate — or consider the bill at all.

The nation’s longest government shutdown was triggered when Republicans refused to reinstate tax credits that kept health insurance affordable. Part of the Democrats’ bargain for ending the shutdown in November was a promise by House Republicans to hold a clean vote on reinstating those tax credits. 

The bill passed the House and was sent to the Senate, where dueling Democratic and Republican proposals each failed to clear a 60-vote threshold to avoid a filibuster. As a result, an estimated 20 million Americans including around 300,000 in Wisconsin faced higher health insurance premiums on Jan. 1 — with many deciding to forego coverage in 2026 altogether.

Despite pleas to resurrect the tax credits, some Republicans professed concern about a lack of language prohibiting the health insurance tax credits from being used for abortion care, while Democrats call it a smokescreen.

“It would have been a slam dunk, but now there’s some talk that people might want to add the Hyde Amendment about abortion into this,” said US Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Black Earth). “And if they do that, clearly it wouldn’t be a clean extension. They could have a lot of other problems. It wouldn’t get done in a very timely way.” 

The Hyde Amendment has been in place for nearly 50 years, banning the use of federal funds for abortion care. And Pocan and others say it already applies to the Affordable Care Act tax credits, making this a false problem. 

Causing further delay of senators passing the House’s clean version of renewed tax credits was President Donald Trump’s announcement of his own comprehensive healthcare plan — sparse as it was.

“We get a one pager,” Pocan said. “Literally one side of one page of paper with more concepts and no concrete plans about how to address health care.”

Pocan remarked at a news conference on behalf of Protect Our Care, urging constituents to not let up on asking senators to pass what the House approved. 

“We need to keep the Affordable Care Act in place,” Pocan said. “And the only way you keep it in place so it’s affordable for small business owners and many others is by having those credits. So, the message is the Senate shouldn’t play any games, should pass what we passed in the House, and then let’s really work together on health care.

Small businesses want ACA credits renewed

The Protect Our Care event also included perspective from Wisconsin small business owners like Kyle LaFond, a manufacturer of all-natural personal care products. He noted with irony that he has been in business for about 10 years, the same amount of time Republicans have been trying to weaken or dismantle the Affordable Care Act.

“I personally know of a handful of other business owners who have just decided to go without health insurance this year,” LaFond said. “That’s a shame because once that happens, our emergency rooms are going to be overburdened and we’re going to see costs rise for everyone, not only those who rely on the ACA.”

ACA enrollment lower

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reports 23 million Americans, including 291,336 in Wisconsin, have signed up for coverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplace, a noticeable drop from the same period last year when 24.2 million Americans, including 313,579 in Wisconsin, purchased health insurance — most with the assistance of some level of enhanced premium tax credits.