NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

The Affordable Care Act is once again at the center of a bitter partisan dispute on Capitol Hill, with Republicans and Democrats at loggerheads over enhanced subsidies for plans on the exhanges. Gridlock on the issue has forced the government to shut down for the first time in six years.

The more generous financial assistance, enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic, made enrolling in health insurance on the exchanges much cheaper for middle- and low-income Americans. The credits caused enrollment in ACA plans to explode — but they came with an expiration date.

Now, the clock is running out. Although the subsidies are set to expire at the end of this year, Democrats say Congress needs to extend the credits now, while Republicans say an extension shouldn’t be discussed until the government is reopened. Insurance coverage for millions of Americans is at stake, along with billions of dollars in revenue for providers.

As the shutdown drags on, catch up on the ACA subsidy debate in this newsletter. We'll keep you up to date on any developments and, as always, thanks for reading.

As always, thanks for reading.