The Senate rejected rival partisan health plans Thursday, three weeks before premiums for some Americans enrolled in Affordable Care Act exchanges are due to more than double.
Lawmakers initially voted to block advancement of a bill proposed by Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) that would scrap the expiring COVID-era subsidies in favor of health savings accounts that will be funded for the next two years.
Moments later, a pitch by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to extend the subsidies for an additional three years also failed to crack the Senate’s 60-vote legislative filibuster.
In both instances, 51 senators voted to begin debate on the bill in question with 48 opposed.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) joined all 47 Democrats to block the Cassidy-Crapo plan, while GOPers Susan Collins of Maine, Josh Hawley of Missouri, and Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan of Alaska voted to advance the Schumer plan.
