“Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced Thursday that Democrats will offer a clean three-year extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits for a vote next week,” CBS News reports.

“Democrats had the opportunity to present the legislation of their choice. Some moderates sought a compromise position that would stand a chance at earning the 60 votes needed to advance. Schumer’s decision to seek a clean extension means the bill is highly unlikely to pick up support from Republicans, although the move so will force GOP members to take a politically uncomfortable vote.”

“Speaker Mike Johnson is racing to finalize a Republican health care plan in time to present it to his conference at their weekly meeting Tuesday, but his team still needs to decide on major contours of the plan,” Politico reports.

New York Times: “Some voters may punish congressional Republicans in next year’s midterm elections if expanded Obamacare insurance subsidies are allowed to expire at the end of this month, a new poll released Thursday suggests.”

“Without the extension of larger subsidies, which lower the cost of health insurance under the Affordable Care Act for millions of Americans, many people will see their health expenses rise by about $1,000 next year. Among those facing a spike, most said they would blame President Trump or Republicans in Congress.”

Punchbowl News: “The deadline to extend Obamacare premium subsidies is just three weeks away. And Congress is nowhere on this issue.”

“There’s been no real push from party leaders on either side to secure a deal, leaving moderates and vulnerable Republicans scrambling.”

“As the chances for a deal hover near zero, the fingerpointing has only intensified ahead of “show” votes in the Senate next week. Senate Republican leaders are dealing with an absent White House while they struggle to coalesce around a messaging bill to counter Democrats’ unity on a subsidy extension.”

“A top pollster for President Donald Trump advised a group of House Republicans on how to defend against Democrats’ attacks over expiring Obamacare tax credits: focus on reducing drug prices instead,” Politico reports.

“Tony Fabrizio showed new polling to members of the Republican Study Committee in a closed-door meeting held a few blocks from the Capitol Wednesday. He argued the most effective way for Republicans to counter Democrats’ health care messaging is to change the subject and pivot to reducing drug prices in tandem with Trump.”

“Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) is pitching his colleagues — and President Donald Trump — on a new health care plan,” Politico reports.

“Hawley believes his new bill, which would allow all tax payers to deduct up to $25,000 per person in medical expenses, would help offer Republicans an agenda to coalesce behind while boosting the GOP’s affordability message heading into an election year. The bill also allows out of pocket spending on premiums to be deducted.”

“Obamacare premiums are set to spike for tens of millions of Americans next month. Plenty of rank-and-file Republicans are happy to sit back and ride it out,” Politico reports.

“Some vulnerable GOP lawmakers up for reelection are scrambling for a last-minute fix to renew the enhanced federal health care subsidies keeping costs down. But even if party leaders and President Donald Trump were to rally around a plan in the coming days — and there’s no sign of that happening — many conservatives are likely to revolt.”

Said GOP strategist Stan Barnes: “No one wants a primary challenge where the accusation is, ‘You supported Obamacare.’”

Washington Post: Health insurance costs could spike, as bipartisan ACA deal looks less likely.

“I don’t think anything will pass without the president’s approval. There’s lots of ideas out there. Let’s see if we can’t put something together and take it to him.”

— Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD), quoted by Punchbowl News, on extending expiring health care subsidies. 

“Advisers to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appear poised to make consequential changes to the childhood vaccination schedule, delaying a shot that is routinely administered to newborns and discussing big changes to when or how other childhood immunizations are given,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“Decisions by the group are not legally binding, but they have profound implications for whether private insurance and government assistance programs are required to cover the vaccines.”

“Senators have about a week before they’re set to vote on soon-to-expire Affordable Care Act subsidies. Most of them already believe the chances for a bipartisan breakthrough by then are roughly zero,” Politico reports.

“There’s no clear momentum for any plan that would avoid a lapse in tax credits that could raise insurance premiums for 20 million Americans.”

Politico: “Lawmakers now have a mere 30 days to address expiring Obamacare tax credits and prevent health insurance hikes for millions of Americans. Republicans and Democrats agree success hangs on one question: Will President Donald Trump figure out what he wants?”

“Interpreting Trump’s intentions has gotten tougher since lawmakers left Washington. Early in the break, Trump appeared to be on the brink of announcing a framework to extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies with new eligibility restrictions, only to pull back after GOP criticism. He then said he doesn’t want to extend the subsidies but understands it might be necessary.”

“Capitol Hill factions are trying to figure out what Trump wants and how to entice him to their side.”

Financial Times: Americans brace for a surge in healthcare costs.

Politico: “Since lawmakers left town 10 days ago, the picture has only grown foggier. Early in their holiday break, Trump appeared to be on the precipice of announcing a framework to temporarily extend the Obamacare subsidies with new eligibility restrictions, only to pull back after a mountain of internal GOP criticism.”

“In his only comments on the matter, Trump injected more uncertainty last week, saying he doesn’t want to extend the subsidies but understands it might be necessary.”

“The mixed signals have left the various factions on Capitol Hill trying to figure out where Trump will ultimately come down — and how to entice the president to back their side in a thorny policy fight that could have major political consequences in next year’s midterm elections.”

Punchbowl News: “The House has just 13 days left in session — it’s only 12 for the Senate — before lawmakers head home for the holiday season.”

“So it’s going to be a crazy couple of weeks, during which a barely functional Congress and an increasingly volatile president have to tackle a host of high-stakes priorities.”

“The most critical deadline is Dec. 31, when enhanced Obamacare premium subsidies expire. Millions of individual Americans and small businesses face higher premiums or could even lose coverage if the ACA premium subsidies end.”

“Drug companies and lawyers for patients have thought for years that the federal program for people injured by vaccines is understaffed and too slow to offer compensation. They’ve been urging Congress to overhaul it,” Politico reports.

“Now, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is considering much more dramatic changes that industry insiders and public health experts worry could threaten the availability of vaccines for the public by prompting drug companies to flee the U.S. market.”

Politico: “Charities that help people cover their medical bills say they’re seeing an alarming increase in requests for help. Worse yet, they say, it’s coming even before cuts to Medicaid in President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act take effect and the potential expiration of Obamacare subsidies at year’s end. The charities are warning of exploding medical debt and lower survival rates for diseases like cancer if Congress doesn’t act.”

“Dr. Ralph Abraham, who as Louisiana’s surgeon general ordered the state health department to stop promoting vaccinations and who has called Covid vaccines ‘dangerous,’ has been named the second in command at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” the New York Times reports.

“The Department of Health and Human Services did not announce the appointment, and many CDC employees seemed unaware of it.”