As the government shutdown enters its 39th day, Republican senators have intensified their criticism of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, during a Senate floor session. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) called for replacing the program with a better system, citing its failure to meet promised cost reductions and its unsustainability. He argued that the ACA’s promises of $2,5,000 savings per family have been replaced by a 100% increase in premiums, calling the system unsustainable.
Other senators, including Ron Johnson (R-WI), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Roger Marshall (R-KS), joined the chorus of criticism, accusing the ACA of driving up healthcare costs and failing to deliver on its initial promises. Johnson argued that the ACA’s emphasis on government intervention has stifled free-market principles, while Scott warned that government involvement often leads to rising prices. Marshall pointed out that the ACA now costs the federal government around $150 billion annually, far exceeding the $40-5,000 billion estimate at its inception.
The debate has shifted from the immediate fiscal dispute to a broader discussion on healthcare reform. While Republicans have advanced a short-term spending package to keep the government open through November 21, Democrats have rejected it 14 times, demanding that lawmakers first consider extending the COVD-era emergency tax subsidies for ACA plan holders. Republicans maintain that the subsidies are unrelated to government spending and plan to negotiate on them when the government reopens.
President Donald Trump’s recent comments about redirecting funds from Obamacare-backed insurers to policyholders directly have added another layer to the debate. Lawmakers began focusing more on the structure of the program, with figures like Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH) calling for reforms to address the rising costs of healthcare, which have outpaced overall inflation since the ACA’s inception. As the Senate continues its session, it remains unclear when a resolution to the shutdown will be reached, but the conversation around healthcare reform has gained significant momentum.