By Andrew Rice
The Center Square

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies for another three years.

The bill passed in a 230-196 vote on Thursday.

Seventeen House Republicans joined 213 House Democrats to pass extensions of the tax subsidies.

The Biden administration provided enhanced subsidies to those under the Affordable Care Act during the COVID-19 pandemic. The enhanced subsidies expired at the end of last year, raising premiums for millions of Americans.

With Republican support, House Democrats gained enough signatures in December to force a vote on the floor to extend subsidies for three more years.

In debate on the House floor Thursday, Republicans and Democrats displayed deep divisions over the extension of enhanced subsidies.

House Republicans said the Affordable Care Act allowed fraudulent payments, overpayments and payments for ineligible recipients to run rampant.

“I take greater access to affordable health care any day over shoveling more tax dollars into Democrats’ health care fraud schemes,” said U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo.

Democrats highlighted the rising cost of premiums for individuals without the extension of subsidies.

“Our enhanced credits make sure that nobody would pay more than 8.5% of their income for coverage,” said U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass.

Republicans also pointed to their recently proposed Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act, which was set to lower premiums by 11%. The bill was passed the House along party lines and is unlikely to pass in the Senate as a 60-vote majority is needed.

“We need less mandates, less taxes, less regulations, and we need more freedom, more choice, more competition,” said U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas. “We’re willing to work with you, but this is beyond the pale, and it’s audacious to call it affordable health care.”

U.S. Rep. Aaron Bean, R-Fla., argued the recipients under the tax credits provided during the COVID-19 pandemic went to individuals who did not need the subsidies. He said families making income well above the poverty level are still eligible for assistance under the subsidies.

“We made these premium tax credits during COVID,” Bean said. “COVID is over, and these subsidies should be over with it.”

Bean said Congress should look to solutions with health savings accounts, and the Republicans’ healthcare premiums act.

“It’s time to give more choice and more competition,” Bean said. “Those are the only ingredients that are going to make costs lower.”

Some Republicans also called for added protections to prevent taxpayer dollars from contributing to abortion. U.S. Rep. Christopher Smith, R-N.J., said the Hyde Amendment, which is designed to prevent taxpayer dollars from contributing to abortion, needs to be included in the Affordable Care Act.

“Polling shows that the majority of Americans do not want public funding for abortion. Abortion is the polar opposite of health care,” Smith said. “It is not health care.”

Democrats celebrated the extension of healthcare subsidies and called for the Senate to pass the measure.

“Every Democrat supports this bill because we believe health care is a right for all, not a privilege for the few,” said U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. “No family should be pushed out of coverage.”

“Our vote today represents hope, the hope of millions to access their family physician,” said U.S. Rep. LLoyd Dogett, D-Texas. “The hope for so many Americans who’ve wondered how they will be able to afford health care, hope that by using an extraordinary measure today in the house, we can address an extraordinary need.”

The bill will head to the U.S. Senate, where it faces a tougher challenge. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has repeatedly said an extension of subsidies as House Democrats proposed is unlikely.