Congress has returned from a week-long Thanksgiving break, but time is running out. Lawmakers are under pressure to come up with a strategy to tackle rising health care costs and insurance premiums. The critical deadline looms at the end of the year, with action needed by January 15 for the insurance companies. However, with only nine working days left for both the House and Senate, the opportunity to pass meaningful legislation is diminishing.
The House is scheduled to meet Tuesday through Friday and again from December 15 to December 19. Meanwhile, the Senate’s schedule is less certain, but it appears they will also sit for nine more days in this session. Notably, December 19 was recently added to the House calendar, which hints that lawmakers might need to work over the weekend of December 20-21. This is significant; Christmas falls on a Thursday this year, potentially granting Congress more time to deliberate before the holiday.
Currently, House Republicans plan to unveil their own health care proposal soon. Yet, introducing such a plan without bipartisan support or the backing of President Donald Trump raises doubts about its viability. Despite years of discussion about replacing Obamacare, the GOP has failed to deliver a concrete alternative, making the prospect of passing a new health care plan by the end of the month appear unlikely.
Next week, the Senate is expected to vote on competing health care proposals, but uncertainty surrounds the Republican plan. Senate Democrats have put forth a three-year extension of existing Obamacare subsidies, but with a requirement of 60 votes for passage, chances are slim for their proposal as well. This could force a moment of reckoning, where both sides may need to take a hard look at their positions if neither plan succeeds.
The crunch of time and a looming deadline for soaring health care premiums may drive Congress to work up until and through the holidays. The added days around December 20-23 could become critical in crafting a viable solution. Additionally, if nothing is resolved before the end of January, there could be an increased risk of government shutdown, given that nine spending bills remain unfinished.
As the clock ticks down, both chambers face immense pressure to take action not just on health care but on overall government funding. The disruption this poses, especially against a backdrop of rising premiums and government funding deadlines, creates a complex legislative landscape. As Congress navigates these challenges, the outcome remains uncertain, but the urgency is undoubtedly rising.
"*" indicates required fields
