ObamaCare subsidies expire; premiums spike for millions: What to know

After months of fighting and countless proposals for a bipartisan compromise, the expiration date for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax subsidies has arrived, with millions of Americans set to feel the pain.

Congress had until Dec. 31, 2025 to strike a deal extending tax credits that were first enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic by the Biden administration and further extended through the Inflation Reduction Act.

Democrats held a relatively united front in the last half of 2025 as they sought to pressure Republicans into agreeing to a deal to save the credits. This fight saw the longest government shutdown in U.S. history and GOP infighting between conservatives who staunchly opposed ObamaCare and moderates who sought to stave off constituent anger.