Congress Deadlocked Over ACA Subsidies, Shutdown Looms

Congress is deadlocked as a possible government shutdown looms after a short-term funding measure failed in the Senate ahead of the Sept. 30 deadline. The standoff centers on enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits set to expire Dec. 31; Republicans have refused to include an extension in current funding legislation while Democrats demand immediate action and have warned they may withhold approval of the 2026 budget. Insurers are filing rates and open enrollment begins Nov. 1, and analysts warn that without an extension average premiums could rise more than 75% and many people may drop coverage for 2026. The loss of subsidies would hit some states especially hard — about 1.8 million Californians could see monthly premiums triple or quadruple, with local examples showing increases from $58 to $153 or from $581 to more than $2,500. Separately, a White House autism event in which President Trump repeated unsubstantiated claims about vaccine safety has prompted public-health experts to warn it could seriously undermine vaccine confidence.