OAN Staff Blake Wolf
1:56 PM – Thursday, December 11, 2025
The Senate has failed to advance both the Democrat and GOP proposed health care bills, as significant increases in health care costs loom due to the expiring enhanced tax credits under the Affordable Care Act.
On Thursday, both bills failed, garnering 51 affirmative votes — less than the required 60-vote threshold needed to advance the measure.
Republican Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) voted to advance the Democrat health care plan, which would have extended the expiring Obamacare subsidies.
Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) was the only Republican to oppose the GOP proposal, arguing that it was essentially “Obamacare lite.”
The GOP proposal centered around providing funds to health care savings accounts, rather than directly to insurance companies, receiving the support of President Donald Trump.
For eligible Affordable Care Act recipients, the GOP bill would have provided $1,000 checks for individuals between the ages of 18-49, and $1,500 checks for eligible enrollees between the ages of 50 and 64.
“I like the concept. I don’t want to give the insurance companies any money,” Trump stated on Tuesday. “They’ve been ripping off the public for years.”
“Obamacare is a scam to make the insurance companies rich. … Billions and billions of dollars is paid directly to insurance companies,” he added.
After the votes failed, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) criticized Republicans for voting against the Democrat health care legislation, arguing that the GOP now bears the responsibility for rising health care premiums.
“Unfortunately our Republican colleagues refused to do what they should have done,” Schumer stated. ‘Republicans just blocked the Democrats’ bill for a clean, simple extension of the ACA tax credits, the last chance they had to ensure peoples’ premiums do not skyrocket in the coming months.”
Schumer went on to argue that the Democrats “tried all year to stop this health care crisis.”
“They kept saying no. And of course, Republicans had every opportunity to negotiate, to join us, to offer a serious plan to prevent premiums from rising after Jan. 1. Instead, today Republicans voted down the only plan that would have stopped the premium spikes, while having no plan of their own,” he added. “Shame on them.”
The failed bills were likely the last attempt at solving the looming increase in health care premiums, as the Senate is expected to adjourn next week until January.
“I hope that after today [the Democrats] will feel like they’ve checked the messaging box and will get serious about actually doing something about the spiraling health care costs under Obamacare,” Thune stated.
“Republicans are ready to get to work. I’m not sure yet if the Democrats are interested,” he added.
The Affordable Care Act tax credits are set to expire at the end of the year.
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