Debunked Episode 22: As ACA subsidies expire and open enrollment window closes, members of Congress brainstorm alternatives
The deadline to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies is approaching this month. This is happening even as consumers who rely on the ACA Marketplace face difficult decisions. Should they abandon health plans that are no longer affordable once subsidies expire, or hope that Congress can reach a bipartisan agreement to extend subsidies until a viable alternative is developed and approved? This episode is the main focus of the latest Debunked podcast, hosted by Arundhati Parmar, Editor-in-Chief of MedCity News, and Samir Batra, Managing Partner of Health Innovation Pitch.
With 93% of ACA Marketplace plan members (22 million people) relying on tax credits expiring at the end of this year, and open enrollment set to end on December 15, “we're between a rock and a hard place,” as Arundhati aptly put it. As of record time, the Senate was expected to vote on whether to extend the subsidy on December 9.
Members of Congress, especially those up for re-election in 2026, understand the risks of refusing to extend subsidies. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., leads a company believed to have committed the largest Medicare fraud in U.S. history, while Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, has introduced more proposals to tap health savings accounts.
The talk also focused on recent efforts to make drugs more affordable, particularly GLP-1 drugs. Discounting these expensive medications could pave the way to significantly reducing the prevalence of obesity-related chronic diseases, consistent with the MAHA initiative led by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. But these efforts also raise questions. These drugs are effective for weight loss only if the person taking them also makes lifestyle changes, including more exercise and healthier eating choices. There is also the question of whether the drug development supply chain can keep up with demand.
This episode of “Revealed” will end in 2025. The next episode will air in February.
You can access the podcast here:
