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Why did we have a long shutdown? What did Republicans gain?

A New Obamacare Proposal

Please note Trump Advisers Discuss Options for New Healthcare Proposal

President Trump’s advisers are discussing a proposal to head off sharp increases in health-insurance costs for millions of Americans next year, the explosive issue at the heart of the recent government shutdown.

White House officials are weighing a two-year extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies as an enticement to get Democrats on board, according to people familiar with the strategy.

As part of the new plan, the White House has discussed imposing income caps for Affordable Care Act enrollees to qualify for the enhanced subsidies, as well as measures to crack down on healthcare fraud, some of the people said. Republicans also have discussed moving the subsidy money into newly created health savings accounts and barring taxpayer funds from going toward plans that cover abortion and transgender care, the people said.

White House officials cautioned that Trump hadn’t settled on a plan, and they said it was unclear when the plan would be formally unveiled. “Until President Trump makes an announcement himself, any reporting about the Administration’s healthcare positions is mere speculation,” said White House spokesman Kush Desai. Politico earlier reported some of the details of the emerging plan.

Republicans are coalescing around taking the money spent to extend Obamacare subsidies and putting it in a health savings account, a proposal Trump supports. “Rather than giving money to insurance companies, we want to start giving the money to patients,” said Sen. Roger Marshall (R., Kan.), who has discussed plans with the White House and senators. 

Marshall said that Republicans also want to eliminate fraud in Obamacare, by eliminating “zero premium” subsidies now offered under some plans. Republicans say such subsidies lead to people being signed up for plans that they don’t know about—while insurance companies receive taxpayer funds.  

A vote on extending the healthcare subsidies is expected by mid-December—part of a deal struck between Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R., S.D.) and a group of centrist Democrats to end the shutdown earlier this month. It is unclear if the House will take up the measure.

Oh Boy More 4D Chess

Oh boy, more 4D chess? A vote to extend Obamacare… that’s the Republican solution to health care? https://t.co/VgT3xrcNxZ pic.twitter.com/d6AsXMmelB

— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) November 24, 2025

Here’s Donald Trump shaking hands with NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani:
pic.twitter.com/YgVhvjLUcE

— Lucas Sanders 💙🗳️🌊💪🌈🚺🟧 (@LucasSa56947288) November 21, 2025

Observation of the Day

That man had 10 years to come up with a healthcare plan and the best he can do is a two-year extension of Obamacare subsidies and new limits on eligibility???.

— Covie (@covie_93) November 24, 2025

Any Bets on This?
 

Poverty Level Limits

Trump is preparing to roll out a new ACA framework, per Politico, including a 2-year extension of Obamacare subsidies that expire next month.

The plan would add income caps on eligibility at roughly 700 percent of the federal poverty line and introduce minimum premium payments.… pic.twitter.com/PnqokAXt7k

— Wall St Engine (@wallstengine) November 24, 2025

700% of poverty level?!

It was 400% before and Democrats would have settled for a mere one-year extension.

Oh well, that’s just a rumor. Lots of them swirling.

This will be known as the Healthcare Price Cuts Act.

Flashback November 7, 2025 MishTalk Democrats Offer a One-Year Obamacare Extension Deal. Should Republicans Accept?

Decision Irony

“At some point, they’ve got to make a decision about whether or not they want to keep this going or they want to end it,” Thune said of Democrats.

Schumer’s offer reverses the setup.

How I see it: “At some point, Republicans have to make a decision about whether or not they want to hold out for 100 marbles or accept 98.”

Republicans would be crazy not to accept this offer. It’s just one year. And they can block further extensions easily.

I await the final product and the final math.

Accepting a one-year extension that Democrats wanted would have cost $35 billion.

Any guesses what the outcome of this new deal will cost?

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