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Fiery Senate Hearing Casts Doubt On Subsidy Extension Democrats and Republicans battled at a Senate Finance Committee hearing today on the future of the enhanced Exchange subsidies set to expire at the end of the year. The tone and tenor of the GOP suggested that a clean extension was very much in doubt, at least without major sweeping conservative changes to healthcare, if it happened at all. Republicans largely indicated they wanted to see the subsidy enhancements expire and instead work on conservative reforms, including expansion of Health Savings Accounts to allow individuals to purchase healthcare of their choice. This comports with President Trump’s views that subsidies should be sent to Americans directly. Sen Bill Cassidy, R-LA and Chair of the HELP Committee, has proposed pairing beefed up HSAs with low-level, high-deductible Bronze Exchange plans. HSAs currently cannot be used to pay for premiums. Democrats argue the HSA payments would

Trump Says He Wants Direct Subsidies In Healthcare President Donald Trump declared on social media that he would only consider approving legislation that provides direct healthcare payments to Americans. “THE ONLY HEALTHCARE I WILL SUPPORT OR APPROVE IS SENDING THE MONEY DIRECTLY BACK TO THE PEOPLE, WITH NOTHING GOING TO THE BIG, FAT, RICH INSURANCE COMPANIES, WHO HAVE MADE $TRILLIONS, AND RIPPED OFF AMERICA LONG ENOUGH,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “THE PEOPLE WILL BE ALLOWED TO NEGOTIATE AND BUY THEIR OWN, MUCH BETTER, INSURANCE. POWER TO THE PEOPLE! Congress, do not waste your time and energy on anything else. This is the only way to have great Healthcare in America!!! GET IT DONE, NOW,” he added. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, dismissed Trump’s statement as “unhinged ramblings” that will “do nothing to lower” costs. He added the president has no idea how anything works. Meanwhile, Senate Health, Education, Labor,

Capitol Hill Abuzz With Exchange Negotiations Washington, D.C is abuzz with at least some compromise talk on finding a way to extend the enhanced Exchange subsidies Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), said that the Trump administration is “willing to look at all options” regarding the subsidies. “But we have some major flaws with the way these COVID-era subsidies were added. And just so everyone’s on the same page in this issue, our goal is to get people covered,” he added. At the same time, President Donald Trump wants to send payments to Americans directly instead of to insurers and allow them to purchase their own insurance. The president said he has been talking with Democrats about a direct health care payment plan as one way to tackle rising health insurance premiums. “The insurance companies are making a fortune,” he said. “Their stock is

Aetna Delays And Changes Downcoding Policy After major pushback from lawmakers and providers, Aetna is easing a controversial “downcoding” policy for inpatient Medicare Advantage (MA) claims. The insurer said the policy’s start date has been delayed to Jan. 1, 2026 and that its severity review would now apply to urgent or emergent inpatient hospital stays that include at least one midnight but fewer than five. As part of the reimbursement approach, Aetna will approve these inpatient stays without a medical necessity review and cover the claim at a rate that aligns with observation services. Stays of five or more midnights will not be subject to a severity review in the updated policy. Additional articles: https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/american-hospital-association-urges-aetna-rescind-new-inpatient-policy-payment and https://www.modernhealthcare.com/insurance/mh-aetna-medicare-advantage-downcoding-policy/ (Some articles may require a subscription.) #aetna #hospitals #claimsdenials #priorauthorization https://www.beckerspayer.com/payer/aetna-delays-new-inpatient-reimbursement-policy/ Exchange Subsidy Saga President Donald Trump’s Domestic Policy Council and senior health officials have been meeting privately on how to address the expiration

Healthcare Costs Continuing to Surge WTW’s 2026 Global Medical Trends Report indicates that healthcare increases remain “significantly higher” than the 7.6% seen in 2024. Further, healthcare cost increases are projected to rise 9.6% in the U.S. in 2026, only a little less than the 9.7% experienced this year. Globally, the average cost of health benefits is predicted to rise 10.3%, up from 10% in 2025 and 9.5% in 2024. Employers add that they believe elevated costs will continue for more than three years, driven by medical costs, regional pressure on pharmacy and outpatient services, and global structural factors. About three-quarters said new medical technologies as the top reason for medical inflation, followed by the decline of public health systems (52%) and advancements in pharmaceuticals (49%). Cancer tops the list of cost drivers globally. #healthcare #costs https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/us-healthcare-cost-increases-expected-to-fall-in-2026/805340 KFF Finds Medicaid Costs Will Rise A healthcare policy group KFF report finds that,

Government to Reopen – Finally! The House passed the Senate bill to reopen government this evening on a vote of 222 to 209. Six Democrats joined the vast majority of Republicans to pass the bill. Two Republicans voted with Democrats. The bill extends some expiring healthcare programs and delays cutbacks. But it did not include an extension of enhanced Exchange premium subsidies. The Senate leader has promised a vote in mid-December, while the House speaker has yet to make a commitment. Despite the Democrats’ focus on the subsidy extension, little has been proposed on healthcare reform by either party outside of President Trump’s efforts on drug pricing. Republicans are rumored to be compiling a reform plan that could be pared with some subsidy extension, but in the past the changes meant millions losing coverage. In other news, hidden in the government funding bill was a provision that overrides budget sequestration

With Government Shutdown Ending, GOP Struggles With Obamacare With the government funding bill almost assuredly to pass the House Wednesday, the GOP will next have to turn to what to do with the expiring enhanced Exchange subsidies and perhaps some healthcare reform in general. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-SD, promised a vote on the subsidies by mid-December, but House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-LA, refuses to make any commitment on a vote. Moderate GOPers in the Senate and about several dozen moderates in swing districts in the House GOP caucus want a vote and some sort of extension. Various potential compromises are being discussed including an income cap, minimum premiums, and an extension vs. permanency. The GOP may also want to pass healthcare reform changes but have yet to truly put up a plan. Conservatives, such as Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene, R-GA, have been pressuring the Speaker to pass yet