Subsidies are not health care reform

The pandemic-era expansion of ACA premium subsidies expired at the end of 2025, reducing the federal share of premiums for affected enrollees from about 88% to about 83%. The piece argues that subsidies ease household costs in the short term but do not address the underlying drivers of rising health care prices.

The pandemic-era expansion of Affordable Care Act premium tax credits expired at the end of 2025. That change lowered the federal share of premiums for the affected exchange enrollees from about 88 percent to about 83 percent. Medicaid eligibility and original ACA subsidies for lower-income enrollees remain in place. The opinion emphasizes that the expiration has its largest effects on middle- and upper-middle-income households that gained extra subsidy generosity during the pandemic. Key facts: - Pandemic-era enhanced premium subsidies and the removal of an income cap expired at the end of 2025. - The federal share of premiums for affected families declined from roughly 88% to roughly 83%. - Medicaid eligibility is unchanged and lower-income exchange enrollees continue to receive subsidies under the original ACA rules; the article says the largest impacts fall on middle- and upper-middle-income households. Summary: The article contends that while subsidies reduce what households pay in the short term, they do not slow the underlying growth of health care costs and can blunt market pressure on insurers and providers. It argues that repeated subsidy expansions can mask rising prices rather than drive structural cost reforms. Undetermined at this time.