Sen. Bill Cassidy says "there's a deal to be had" on health care after failed Senate votes [View all]

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CBS News

December 14, 2025 / 10:41 AM EST / CBS News


Washington — Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican, said Sunday that "there's a deal to be had" on addressing health care costs after a pair of bills failed to secure enough support to advance in the Senate last week. "There has to be a meeting of the minds between Democrats and Republicans," Cassidy said on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan." Last week, the Senate rejected two bills aimed at lowering health care costs, as lawmakers struggle to reach consensus over how to address expiring tax credits that help millions of Americans purchase insurance under the Affordable Care Act.

While Democrats sought a three-year extension of the enhanced tax credits with their bill, Republicans offered their own legislation sponsored by Cassidy. Rather than extending the enhanced tax credits, the measure would redirect funds to health savings accounts for those who use bronze plans on state exchanges, allowing people to save on premiums by switching to the lower-tier plans, while giving them the ability to use the HSA funds toward their deductibles.

The Republican-led measure didn't pick up any support from Democrats during the dueling votes last week. But Cassidy said that in addition to their concern about the premiums, Democrats must acknowledge high deductibles, saying "you've got to put cash in the patient's pocket to pay the out of pocket."

"I would be willing to do a short-term extension of the premium tax credit for those people with higher premiums if they will concede that we've got to do something for the $6,000 out of pocket," Cassidy added. "I think there's a deal to be had here. We need to push for that deal."

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sen-bill-cassidy-health-care-subsidies-senate-deal/

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From the total using the ACA (~24 million), nearly 1/3rd are already on the Bronze plan per this (PDF), cited here -

Nearly a third of the 24 million people who signed up for coverage under the A.C.A. last year enrolled in the least expensive kind of plan available to everyone, a so-called Bronze plan.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/08/health/obamacare-deductibles-premiums-health-insurance.html

Eliminate the subsidies and they will go bye bye.

The death panel GOP refused to participate in anything to do with the ACA (other than members of Congress being required to use it themselves, most likely all on the top tier plan), so they continue to be clueless - intentionally so - about the whole point. These folks don't have employer-provided health insurance and thus form a pool that helps them reduce the costs.