Trump Obamacare extension proposal: What to know
Sen. Rick Scott on shutdown, healthcare costs
Sen. Rick Scott, a Republican, represents Florida in the U.S. Senate. He previously served as Florida's governor. He joins LiveNOW?s Andy Mac for an exclusive interview, speaking on the continuing government shutdown and what to do about healthcare in the United States. Sen. Scott recently told FOX Business, "Look at how much this is all costing us. Obamacare was sold on a lie. The costs have skyrocketed."
The fate of rising healthcare premiums for millions of Americans is still in limbo after the historic government shutdown.
But the White House is circulating a proposal that may bring some relief.
Here’s what we know:
Trump Obamacare extension proposal
FILE - President Donald Trump returns to the White House on Marine One in Washington, D.C., on November 22, 2025. (Photo by Allison Robbert/For The Washington Post via Getty Images)
What we know:
The White House is circulating a proposal that would extend subsidies to help consumers pay for coverage under the Affordable Care Act for two more years, according to The Associated Press.
What we don't know:
Details of the proposal weren’t yet made public, such as how the subsidies would be extended. The Trump administration has also not yet made any announcements – and the White House stresses that no plan is final until Trump announces it.
Meanwhile:
The draft plan suggests that President Donald Trump is open to extending a provision of Obamacare as his administration and congressional Republicans search for a broader policy solution to a fight that has long followed the party.
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The Affordable Care Act
Big picture view:
The Affordable Care Act is former President Barack Obama’s signature health care law, sometimes more commonly referred to as "Obamacare."
By the numbers:
ACA exchanges provide insurance for 24 million people.
The other side:
The law has been targeted by President Trump before, during his first presidency, and Trump and Republicans once more are facing a political crossroads over the health law.
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ACA subsidies expiring
Big picture view:
Consumers insured through the law’s marketplaces have received notices of hefty premium increases for next year if the subsidies are not extended by Jan. 1. If Congress doesn’t take any action, that means, on average, enrollees will pay more than double for premiums, according to an analysis by the health care research nonprofit KFF.
Dig deeper:
The expiring subsidies was the reason Democrats forced the recent government shutdown to demand an extension, bringing broader concerns about affordability.
The backstory:
During his White House campaign last year, Trump was calling to repeal the law, but said he only had the "concepts of a plan" to do so. He has yet to elaborate.
The president has since focused on overhauling the COVID-era subsidies that have helped keep down premiums.
Some Republican lawmakers are open to extending the subsidies, but Trump said he would only support a plan that sends money to individuals rather than insurance companies, which he complains are "making a fortune."
The Source: Information in this article was taken from The White House, as obtained by and reported on by The Associated Press. Background information was taken from KFF, previous FOX Television Station reporting and from The Associated Press. This story was reported from Detroit.