As millions face a steep rise in insurance costs, lawmakers continue a long battle over who should pay for health care

[marmar]

As millions of Americans face a steep rise in health insurance costs, lawmakers continue a century-long battle over who should pay for health care
Published: December 19, 2025 8:17am EST

Robert Applebaum
Senior Research Scholar in Gerontology, Miami University


(The Conversation) Dec. 15, 2025 – the deadline for enrolling in a marketplace plan through the Affordable Care Act for 2026 – came and went without an agreement on the federal subsidies that kept ACA plans more affordable for many Americans. Despite a last-ditch attempt in the House to extend ACA subsidies, with Congress adjourning for the year on Dec. 19, it’s looking almost certain that Americans relying on ACA subsidies will face a steep increase in health care costs in 2026.

As a gerontologist who studies the U.S. health care system, I’m aware that disagreements about health care in America have a long history. The main bone of contention is whether providing health care is the responsibility of the government, or of individuals or their employers.

The ACA, passed in 2010 as the country’s first major piece of health legislation since the passage of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965, represents one more chapter in that long-standing debate. That debate explains why the health law has fueled so much political divisiveness – including a standoff that spurred a record-breaking 43-day-long government shutdown, which began on Oct. 1, 2025.

In my view, regardless of how Congress resolves, or doesn’t resolve, the current dispute over ACA subsidies, a durable U.S. health care policy will remain out of reach until lawmakers address the core question of who should shoulder the cost of health care. ..........................(more)

https://theconversation.com/as-millions-of-americans-face-a-steep-rise-in-health-insurance-costs-lawmakers-continue-a-century-long-battle-over-who-should-pay-for-health-care-271901

[Turbineguy]

1. People who benefit most from healthy employees.

People who benefit from healthy families.

It would be nice if republicans understood how good economics can benefit all of society instead of a few, who don't need it.

[Autumn]

2. Are they having a battle over who pays for their healthcare? Few jobs anymore provide a person the option

to purchase discounted insurance. Civilized countries pay a bit more in taxes and EVERYBODY gets healthcare. But I forget, we don't have a civilized country and the majority of our elected politicians fucking suck and the entire administration is nothing more than grifters and worthless assholes.

[anciano]

3. Universal healthcare should be considered

a basic human right.

[walkingman]

4. The simple solution is a "single payer" system where everyone contributes and health

not profit is the primary consideration. We don't have to re-invent the wheel, there are a lot of examples around the world. At some point the American public will wake up (or not) and realize that they can change the way we live by supporting a government that actually serves the citizens and not their financial contributors.

The American ethos: It's not a problem unless it happens to me, and when it does happen to me l am absolutely outraged that other people let it happen to me.

[MichMan]

7. The main premise of the OP was "who should pay for health care"

Single payer is certainly something to consider.

If it is government with a single payer system, since we run annual deficits, it would just get added to the debt, so the ones paying it would be future taxpayers. Some of whom aren't even born yet. That is also who would be paying the current ACA subsidies.

Most all other countries with a single payer health care pay for it with a national 15-20% VAT. I could be wrong, but I don't see any politician here advocating for something regressive like that. If you are a senior with Medicare, unless you are exempted from it, that also means you would be paying a VAT on everything you bought just to keep the same insurance you already have.

[Henry203]

5. Lawmakers and their staff should lose

The money the government puts toward their healthcare. That would make them just like the people who have to buy insurance.

[Skittles]

6. there is no real BATTLE

one party simply does not give a fuck if Americans can access affordable healthcare - they never have and they never will