Congressional Republicans have accused Democrats of prioritizing political gain over genuine healthcare reform as the debate over Affordable Care Act subsidies intensifies.
Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) stated on Friday that Democrats “flat out lie” when discussing healthcare in America. “They have absolutely zero appetite for actually helping families,” she said. “They want subsidies.”
McClain argued that government subsidies indicate a failure of the healthcare system. “These COVID-era extension subsidies, do you know who they go to? They don’t go to the families. They actually go to big insurance companies,” she added.
She further claimed that the insurance industry has profited significantly from Democratic policies. “Big insurance companies’ profits have risen 600% since Obamacare, which was a Democratic idea to begin with. Hence, Obamacare.”
McClain noted that few Americans support the current approach. “Has your income increased by 600%? I don’t think so,” she said. “Republicans are focused on bringing down costs and lowering premiums for everybody—not just the 7% of families affected by these subsidies but for all families.”
The Republican Conference chairwoman emphasized that the ongoing debate over how to fix Obamacare aims to create a system that helps everyone. “We care about lowering premiums, not giving a 600% increase to the insurance companies,” she remarked.
House Budget Chair Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) indicated that larger healthcare reforms may require reconciliation and would include increased funding for health savings accounts, cost-sharing reductions, and association health plans.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) might propose a short-term extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies but with abortion restrictions to satisfy moderate Republicans.
Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Georgia) warned that Democrats are pushing to extend the subsidies not to address healthcare but to gain political momentum ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. “The push on Capitol Hill amounts to ‘playing games with people’s lives’ while ignoring much-needed healthcare reform,” he said.
