ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The federal government shutdown is entering its third week as a battle over health care funding is at an impasse.
Republicans are in a disagreement with Democrats over federal Affordable Care Act premium tax credits on track to expire at the end of 2025. Democrats won’t move forward with a new government spending bill without extending those tax credits – while Republicans argue there’s still time to figure out a solution.
KOB 4 spoke to Martin Heinrich, one of New Mexico’s two U.S. senators.
“The current proposal from Republicans would result in many thousands of New Mexicans see increases in their health care premiums on the scale of hundreds of dollars a month. For some people, as much as eight or $900 a month,” U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich said. “The premiums are being set right now so that’s why that is critical in this moment. It can’t really wait till the end of the year. We have to fix it now, because it is going to impact people’s premiums that are going to get set on Nov. 1.”
Republicans control the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House and the White House. However, Democrats have the power because Republicans have 53 seats – and you need 60 votes to pass spending bills.
Republican leaders said they’ve promised to vote on a 1-year extension on those tax credits once the federal government reopens.
While Democrats are still holding their ground, Heinrich said sitting everyone down for a discussion is the way forward.
“I think the way we get out of this is to get the Republican and Democratic leaders in the House and Senate together in one room with the President and figure out a bipartisan way out of this. I’ve written a lot of appropriations and spending bills. That’s the way you break the log jam,” Heinrich said.
According to the Congressional Budget Office, permanently extending the ACA tax credits for another 10 years would cost the federal government $350 billion. It would also ensure four million Americans have health insurance.
Republican leaders argue the price tag is too high. However, a recent KFF Health poll found 78% of Americans support extending the tax credits in some ways.
New Mexico state lawmakers recently approved putting more than $17 million in state money toward keeping insurance costs down, if those tax credits do expire.
However, Heinrich said that’s just a “Band-Aid solution.”
“I applaud them for that but they were only able to plug the gap for a few months and that’s not a sustainable long-term solution at the federal level. We need to step up and really create long term certainty for working class, New Mexicans and working class people across the country,” he said.
Regardless, the federal government remains shut down with no paychecks for federal workers. Heinrich said they will get backpay once the government reopens.