By Christy Santhosh
Dec 4 (Reuters) – About a quarter of Americans enrolled in Obamacare health plans said they would go without insurance in 2026 if COVID-era government subsidies are not extended past this year and premium payments double, a poll by health-research firm KFF found.
The poll also found that most of the 24 million people covered by the Affordable Care Act health insurance program are hoping lawmakers can agree on an extension of the subsidies put in place during the pandemic.
About 84% of enrollees believe Congress should extend the enhanced subsidies, including nearly 95% of Democrats, about eight in 10 independents and some seven in 10 Republicans, the poll found.
The subsidies were at the core of the recent record-long federal government shutdown. Democrats, who support an extension of the President Joe Biden-era enhanced tax credits, and Republicans, who say they want major changes to the program, are expected to vote on them this month with the outcome uncertain.
President Donald Trump had said he supported giving funds directly to consumers to buy insurance but also raised a two-year extension of subsidies.
Big election wins by Democrats in November have left Republicans scrambling to address the issue before next year’s mid-term elections that will decide control of Congress.
Cynthia Cox, director of the ACA program at KFF, said the population of Obamacare enrollees in several swing districts could
Obamacare Premium Spikes Could Drive off Enrollees, Most Want Subsidy Extension, KFF Finds
