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The Senate is poised to bring an end to the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. However, in doing so, they have chosen not to extend the ObamaCare premium subsidies, a move that has stirred significant debate among lawmakers.

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This decision has become a pivotal point in the negotiations, with Democrats pushing hard for the extension of these subsidies, which they argue are crucial for maintaining affordable healthcare for millions of Americans. The absence of an agreement on this extension underscores the deep partisan divides that continue to shape the legislative landscape.

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Although a resolution to the shutdown appears imminent, the broader implications of excluding the subsidy extension remain a contentious issue. This development highlights the ongoing struggle between the two major parties to find common ground on healthcare policy, a struggle that has persisted for years and shows little sign of abating.

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As the Senate moves forward, all eyes will be on the next steps of this complex negotiation, and whether any reconciliation on healthcare policy can be achieved in the near future. The outcome of these talks will not only end the current impasse but will also set the stage for future legislative battles over healthcare and government spending.

Senate on the cusp of ending shutdown

The Senate is on the verge of ending the longest government shutdown in history, but without giving Democrats an extension of ObamaCare’s premium subsidies.

A handful of moderate Senate Democrats, as well as independent Angus King of Maine, negotiated a funding deal with their GOP colleagues that would ensure back pay to the furloughed federal workers and give the thousands of workers fired during the shutdown their jobs back, including 950 employees in the Department of Health and Human Services.

But it did not include the main priority Democrats had demanded since the start of the shutdown: an extension of the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced subsidies. Instead, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) promised a vote in December.

“Congress now has one month to engage in serious, bipartisan negotiations to extend the Affordable Care Act’s expiring tax cuts for health insurance,” Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) said in a statement.

The stunning development Sunday night infuriated liberals in and out of Congress, who had cheered Democrats throughout and urged them to keep up the fight for the sake of preventing health care costs from skyrocketing at the beginning of next year.

Democrats can argue they will put Republicans on record as voting against a subsidy extension. Any blame for the looming rise in health care costs should fall solely on Republicans who oppose virtually all elements of ObamaCare. Many Republicans said they wanted the subsidies to expire and gave no indication they would ever support an extension.

Even President Trump said he didn’t think the subsidies should be extended, and instead that money should be sent directly to consumers.

The continuing resolution does contain some health extenders. It would allocate funding for community health centers through the end of January and temporarily extend coverage for Medicare services provided through telehealth.

Welcome to The Hill’s Health Care newsletter, we’re Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health.

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Around the Nation

Local and state headlines on health care:

County officials vow to defy state pressure on behavior health (The Lund Report)
A look at North Dakota’s plan to improve rural healthcare (KFYR)
New Wisconsin procedure offers treatment for movement disorder patients (Wisconsin Public Radio)

What We’re Reading

Health news we’ve flagged from other outlets:

Shutdown has highlighted Washington’s retreat from big ideas on health care (KFF Health News)
Why a dementia village in the Netherlands is fueling hope in D.C. (The Washington Post)
CRISPR gene-editing works to reduce high cholesterol in a new study (NPR)