eAPTC

Back in September, before the federal government shutdown, I said:

At a bare, bare minimum, do not settle for a one- or two-year extension of the eAPTCs.

Kicking this particular can down the road for only one or two years would not only be an absolute gift to Republicans politically (since it would push the pain out until just past the midterms, which is of course the only reason why any Republicans are willing to discuss doing so at all), but it would also mean we'd be right back here with the exact same scary headlines a year or two from now, with 24 million people never knowing whether their health insurance premiums are going to skyrocket from year to year.

Nothing is worse for the insurance industry than uncertainty, and anytime they're uncertain about anything you can be sure they'll jack up rates as a "just in case" cushion.

Americans for a Balanced Budget is a conservative think tank. Earlier today they published the results of a poll taken by Trump/Republican pollster John McLaughlin which finds...well...

Americans for a Balanced Budget released the findings of a national survey of 800 likely voters on November 18, 2025, conducted by pollster John McLaughlin of McLaughlin & Associates, across 16 GOP-held battleground districts rated Toss Up or Lean Republican by the Cook Political Report.

Almost exactly 10 years ago, The Onion published one of their classic headlines:

Company’s HR Manager Really Pushing Infinite-Deductible Health Care Plan

During a meeting with new hires Wednesday to discuss employee benefits, Radian Analytics human resources manager Ellen Schultz is said to have strongly pushed the company’s infinite-deductible health care option.

According to sources in attendance, Schultz described the low-premium, infinite-deductible plan as the simplest and most convenient choice available to employees, and said it works the same whether plan members need to visit their primary care physician, fill a prescription, or be admitted to a hospital, allowing them in each case to pay 100 percent of the incurred medical expenses.

With the ongoing budget battle approaching the Sept. 30th federal government shut down deadline, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) have formally introduced a bicameral Continuing Resolution bill to fund the government for an extra month to buy more time to negotiate and avoid a shutdown by the Republican-controlled federal government:

Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair, and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member, introduced a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government funded and allow negotiations to continue over full-year bills that ensure Congress, not President Trump or Russ Vought, decide how taxpayer dollars are spent. The CR also addresses the health care crisis Republicans have single-handedly created and protects Congress’ power of the purse, rejecting President Trump’s illegal “pocket rescission.”

...The short-term continuing resolution (CR):

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