Republicans win shutdown showdown—Senate agrees to funding deal without ACA subsidy extension
Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. Senate have reached an agreement to end the government shutdown, which at over 40 days is the longest in history. However, the outcome of the central issue of disagreement—the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies passed as part of the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021—remains the same as it was when the shutdown began.
As far as the U.S. Senate is concerned, the subsidies are gone. No binding deal exists for their renewal. Instead, a “gentlemen’s agreement” is in place, where Republicans have said they will bring an extension to the floor for a vote before the end of the year. Given their standing as the majority, there's little hope it will pass.
In an attempt to reverse some of the shutdown chaos, the deal also includes a stipulation that federal government firings that took place starting on Oct. 1 will all be reversed, with congressional members of the GOP agreeing not to support any more staffing purges by President Donald Trump until Jan. 1, 2026.
The rehirings will include the 1,200 fired at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Notably, this is the exact same agreement Republicans pushed for when negotiations began some 40 days ago. The House of Representatives has already agreed to the proposal, but they will need to officially codify it in order for the government to reopen. As will the Senate, where the snag ultimately happened due to the filibuster rule, requiring that a law be passed with a 60-vote threshold.
Democrats said the Senate deal was brokered late on Nov. 9. Those who crossed the metaphorical picket line to side with Republicans include Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).
With their votes, it makes 60-40 in favor of breaking the filibuster, allowing the new funding package to pass. That is expected to happen later this week, where the bill will be sent back to the House of Representatives.
Once the House passes the agreement—as is expected to happen now without serious opposition—Trump will need to sign it into law, making the funding of the federal government official.
The agreement includes previous stipulations the parties already agreed on, such as funding agencies like the Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, Department of Defense, Veterans Affairs and others.
ACA enrollment comes with skyrocketing costs
In the meantime, open enrollment has begun on the Affordable Care Act marketplace, where patients in most states will see premiums rise dramatically. When looking at regional averages, an analysis from MoneyGeek found that for bronze level insurance sold through the government exchange, prices rose between 9% and 30%—with two states, Arkansas and New Mexico, seeing premiums hike higher than 50%.
Those prices are likely locked in, with consumers now denied a reprieve from Congress.
Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.