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Year: 2025

Congress faces holiday crunch as health care fix collides with shrinking calendar

Congress faces holiday crunch as health care fix collides with shrinking calendar

Congress has been back after the week-plus Thanksgiving Day break. And days are slipping off the calendar as lawmakers struggle to assemble a plan to address health care or defray the cost of spiking premiums. The deadline is the end of the calendar year. But Fox is told that the insurance companies just need action by Jan. 15. Still, that doesn’t give Congress much time to act. And, depending on the metric, the House is only scheduled to meet for nine days for the rest of 2025.  The Senate is not as clear, but, unofficially, the Senate will only meet for nine more days as well. GOP WRESTLES WITH OBAMACARE FIX AS TRUMP LOOMS OVER SUBSIDY FIGHT The House is scheduled to be in Tuesday through Friday. Then Dec. 15 through Dec. 19. The Senate meets Monday. But it’s unclear if the Senate would meet Friday. The Senate also meets Dec. 15 through at least Dec. 18. But anything beyond that is a little sketchy. CONGRESS RACES AGAINST 3-WEEK DEADLINE TO TACKLE MASSIVE YEAR-END LEGISLATIVE AGENDA However, this is where things get interesting. The House originally was not scheduled to meet Dec. 19. But that date was added to the schedule a few weeks ago. Some would interpret that added date as “code” for the possibility that the House may need to be in town the weekend of Dec. 20 to Dec. 21, and perhaps beyond. There is a possibility that the House could add days to the calendar around that period because Christmas Day isn’t until that Thursday. DEMS PULL OUT ALL THE STOPS TO KEEP OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES FIGHT ALIVE AFTER VOTE TO REOPEN GOVERNMENT So, in theory, the House has a few extra days at its disposal to address issues before Dec.25. It would be a different matter if Christmas itself fell on say a Monday or Tuesday.  So let me fillet the meaning of this. House Republicans are aiming to release a health care plan in the coming days. But developing a coalition to support such a package — without bipartisan support and full-throated support from President Donald Trump — likely stymies any health care package. CONGRESS MELTS DOWN: MEMBERS UNLEASH PERSONAL ATTACKS AFTER WEEKS OF SHUTDOWN DRAMA Keep in mind, Republicans have talked about an alternative plan to Obamacare since 2009, but have never passed anything. So, it’s truly hard to believe they can pass anything in the next 26 days. The Senate is expected to take votes related to competing health care plans late next week. The GOP offering is still unclear. Senate Democrats just unveiled a three-year extension of the current Obamacare subsidies. Any bill needs 60 yeas. So expect the Democrats’ plan to die immediately. OBAMACARE STICKER SHOCK: THREE FACTORS PUSHING PREMIUMS TO RECORD HIGHS Frankly, it’s likely that the failure of both plans in the Senate makes everyone get serious. Often in the Senate, something must first fail until the sides get serious about a compromise and begin to hustle. That takes us back to the calendar. Thus, with the deadline of skyrocketing health care premiums, it’s possible that Congress races up to and/or through the holidays to pass some sort of a health care fix before the end of 2025.  That’s why that weekend and days between Dec. 20 and Dec. 23, which are not on the congressional calendar, could be prime targets for Congress to work to pass something. HOUSE GOP SPLITS OVER OBAMACARE FIX AS COSTS POISED TO SPIKE FOR MILLIONS That’s to say nothing of Congress returning after Christmas and trying to approve something before or around the New Year.  Both bodies are technically slated to return to session Jan. 5. And don’t forget, that the Senate passed its version of the original Obamacare plan just after dawn on Christmas Eve morning, 2009. BIPARTISAN DEAL ON OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES FADES AS REPUBLICANS PUSH HSA PLAN Also lurking in the background: spending bills to fund the government. Government funding expires at 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on January 30. Nine of the 12 annual spending bills for Fiscal Year 2026 remain unfinished. The House expects to tackle a few bills before the end of the year. But if Congress fails to address anything on health care before the end of January, the probability of another government shutdown increases exponentially. So, I bid you “tidings of comfort and joy.”

Republicans divided over whether to salvage Obamacare — or replace it — ahead of subsidy deadline

Republicans divided over whether to salvage Obamacare — or replace it — ahead of subsidy deadline

Republicans across the board harbor deep frustrations with the rising costs of the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare. But while some lawmakers believe it’s time to scrap the system, others fear a wholesale change may do more harm than good.  Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyo., said she struggles to imagine what that change would have to look like. “I don’t know that you can completely remove it,” Hageman said. “We have to have stability and certainty in the market.”  SCALISE ANNOUNCES GOP HEALTHCARE OVERHAUL COMING IN ‘NEXT FEW WEEKS’ AMID BATTLE OVER EXPIRING SUBSIDIES Rep. Mike Kennedy, R-Utah, agrees with Hageman. “It’s not going away anytime soon. I think there are some parts of the Obamacare policies that are positive,” Kennedy said. “I don’t think people want to see [it] go away. But there are ways to reform this, and it’s not just sending more money to insurance companies.” On the other hand, lawmakers like Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., had a quick answer ready for whether Republicans should consider finding an alternative. “Well, yeah! Obamacare is a failure,” Fine said. “That much is very clear.”  “Borrowing money from your kids and grandkids to hide what something actually costs doesn’t lower costs. That’s just lying about what they are. I don’t think we have a choice because if we stay on the Obamacare path, we will bankrupt the country.”  Amid other healthcare-related questions, the GOP’s divisions over Obamacare come as Republicans consider whether to extend COVID-era emergency Obamacare subsidies or let the assistance expire at the end of the month. Republicans concerned about the country’s fiscal picture hope the elimination of the federal assistance will help bring the country closer to its pre-COVID spending levels. Democrats, by contrast, worry that letting the subsidies expire could leave 90% of the 24 million Obamacare enrollees with higher premiums overnight. REPUBLICAN PITCHES HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS ‘ON STEROIDS’ THAT AMERICANS COULD USE TO BUY INSURANCE — AND STEAK According to the Committee on a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan fiscal policy think tank, continuing the subsidies could cost upwards of $30 billion a year. As a part of those conversations, Republicans have explored how they can reform Obamacare to make it more affordable. To Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., the change can’t be marginal. “I would say we can’t be tinkering around the edges here. Like if we tinker, we’re really not gonna fix this problem,” Burlison said. In some ways, Burlison believes replacing Obamacare shouldn’t be the focus of the GOP. By creating a better alternative, he believes Republicans can encourage policyholders to walk away from Obamacare voluntarily. “I think we need to do a new option and introduce that. And honestly, I think that this option will be so great no one will want to be in Obamacare anymore,” Burlison said. SCHUMER UNVEILS DEMOCRATS’ OBAMACARE FIX PLAN, LIKELY DEAD IN THE WATER Other Republicans would like to explore more substantive reforms — perhaps even scrap the program — but are skeptical of large-scale change in the face of current political realities. “The question is, can you pass it? Sixty votes in the Senate. Not gonna happen. That’s just not realistic. So, let’s talk about things we can pass,” Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga., said when asked about whether Republicans should be looking for an alternative. To advance most legislation, Senate Republicans need 60 votes. They hold just 53 seats in the chamber. Instead, McCormick believes Republicans can make changes that make the healthcare space more competitive to drive down costs — even if Obamacare remains in place.  “The reason that you have a competitive market in non-insured products such as LASIK eye surgery, which now is about the same as it was 40 years ago, 50 years ago. Why? Because it’s competitive. Even despite all the inflationary costs to everything else, it didn’t increase. Because we have better competition, because it’s not paid for by insurance,” McCormick said.  “When insurance gets involved, when government gets involved, it becomes more expensive by design,” McCormick said.

Japan accuses Chinese jets of directing fire-control radar at its aircraft

Japan accuses Chinese jets of directing fire-control radar at its aircraft

Japan’s defence minister condemns incidents as ‘dangerous’ and says that that Tokyo has lodged a ‘strong protest’ with Beijing. Japanese Minister of Defence Shinjiro Koizumi has accused Chinese fighter jets of directing their fire-control radar at Japanese aircraft during two separate incidents over international waters near the island of Okinawa. In a post on X early on Sunday, Koizumi said that Tokyo has lodged a “strong protest” about the two incidents and made “a stern demand for measures to prevent recurrence”. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list “The radar illumination… was a dangerous act that exceeded the range necessary for safe aircraft flight,” he added. There was no immediate comment from China. A fire-control radar lock is one of the most threatening acts a military aircraft can take, because it signals a potential attack, forcing the targeted aircraft to take evasive action. The encounters over the islands, which are close to disputed territory claimed by both Japan and China, are the most serious run-ins between the two militaries in years. They came as relations between the two countries sour over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi declaring in November that Tokyo could respond to Chinese military action against Taiwan if the moves also threatened Japan’s security. Democratically governed Taiwan is claimed by Beijing and lies just 110km (68.4 miles) from Japan’s westernmost Yonaguni Island. Japan hosts the biggest overseas concentration of United States military power, including warships, aircraft and troops, with a big chunk of that contingent, including thousands of US Marines, based in Okinawa. There was no immediate comment from the US on Japan’s claims about China’s radar use. Advertisement According to Koizumi, the Chinese J-15 jets involved in the two incidents on Saturday were launched from China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier, which was manoeuvring south of the Okinawan islands along with three missile destroyers. “It is extremely regrettable that such incidents have occurred,” Koizumi’s statement said. No damage or injuries were reported from Saturday’s incidents near Okinawa, Koizumi added in his post. The Reuters news agency, citing sources and intelligence reports, said that China deployed a large number of naval and coastguard ships across East Asian waters on Thursday. The boats at one point numbered more than 100, Reuters reported. Taiwan’s government described that build-up as posing a threat to the Asia Pacific region. Japan said it was monitoring Chinese activity closely. Taiwan’s coastguard said on Sunday that it was monitoring drills by three Chinese maritime safety ships on the western side of the Taiwan Strait’s median line, but said the situation in the waters surrounding Taiwan was currently “normal”. Chinese state media said the search-and-rescue drills were in the central waters of the Taiwan Strait, patrolling “high-traffic areas, and areas with frequent accidents”. Taiwan’s coastguard said China was using “misleading and false wording” about what it was doing, with the aim of harassing Taiwan and carrying out psychological warfare. China claims it alone exercises sovereignty and jurisdiction over the strait, a major trade route for about half of global container ships. The US and Taiwan say the strait is an international waterway. Adblock test (Why?)