{"id":2519328,"date":"2025-12-09T16:16:02","date_gmt":"2025-12-09T21:16:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/thune-to-challenge-obamacare-vote-with-gop-counterproposal\/"},"modified":"2025-12-09T16:17:21","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T21:17:21","slug":"thune-to-challenge-obamacare-vote-with-gop-counterproposal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/thune-to-challenge-obamacare-vote-with-gop-counterproposal\/","title":{"rendered":"Thune to challenge Obamacare vote with GOP counterproposal"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fthune-to-challenge-obamacare-vote-with-gop-counterproposal%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2519328&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Senate Republicans, led by Senator John Thune, plan to respond to a Democratic vote on extending Obamacare subsidies with their own healthcare proposal. This GOP counterproposal aims to make health insurance more affordable for Americans, ensuring benefits go to patients rather than insurance companies and taxpayers. Unlike the Democrats&#8217; plan to <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >extend pandemic-era subsidies<\/a> for three years,which Republicans criticize for fraud and cost masking,the GOP proposal-crafted by Senators bill Cassidy and Mike Crapo-would allocate funds to health savings accounts (HSAs) for eligible individuals with certain <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-did-and-didnt-make-it-into-senates-final-big-beautiful-bill\/\" title=\"What did and didn&#039;t ... it into ...&#039;s final &#039;big, beautiful ...&#039;\">marketplace insurance plans<\/a> and incomes under 700% of the poverty level. Democrats, led by Senator Chuck Schumer, have called the Republican plan &#8220;phony&#8221; and insist their subsidy extension is the realistic way to prevent premium hikes starting in 2026. Neither bill is expected to pass the Senate,but the debate will shape messaging ahead of upcoming midterm elections.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Thune to challenge Democrats&rsquo; Obamacare vote with GOP counterproposal<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2439494\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/news\/senate\/\">Senate<\/a> Republicans plan to counter a Democratic-led vote on <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3911442\/john-thune-obamacare-subsidies-democratic-bill\/\">expiring Obamacare subsidies<\/a> with a healthcare proposal of their own, marking a shift in strategy as the GOP debates how best to challenge Democrats on affordability.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We will have an alternative that we will put up that reflects the views of the Republicans here in the United States Senate about how to make health insurance more affordable in this country, how to ensure that it&rsquo;s not the insurance companies that are getting enriched but that it&rsquo;s actually benefiting the patient, and how to make sure this is a good deal for American taxpayers,&rdquo; Senate Majority Leader <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-thune\/\">John Thune<\/a> (R-SD) told reporters on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3912058\/gene-simmons-musician-royalty-act-protecting-elvis-presley\/\">Gene Simmons says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gene-simmons-says-musician-royalty-act-is-about-protecting-the-next-elvis-presley\/\" title=\"Gene Simmons says musician royalty act is about protecting the next Elvis Presley\">musician royalty act<\/a> is about protecting the next Elvis Presley<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3909322\/teamsters-boss-sean-obrien-bipartisan-union-legislation-pro-act-falls-wayside\/\">Teamsters president turns to bipartisan union legislation as PRO Act falls to wayside<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3911442\/john-thune-obamacare-subsidies-democratic-bill\/\">Thune eyes possibility of &#8216;serious&#8217; Obamacare talks once Democratic bill fails<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Thune was expected to skip a competing vote, with the party divided over the best legislation to present as an alternative, but ultimately decided to move ahead after discussing the vote at their daily conference lunch.<\/p>\n<p>As part of a bipartisan deal last month to end the&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/government-shutdown\/\">government shutdown<\/a>, Thune agreed to let Democrats bring forward a bill to extend the premium credits offered under Obamacare. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) ultimately settled on a three-year extension, but Republicans, meanwhile, plan to offer a proposal from Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Mike Crapo (R-ID), the chairmen of the health and finance committees, respectively.<\/p>\n<p>Rather than extend the pandemic-era subsidies, which Republicans say are <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/watch\/2439494\/\">rife with fraud<\/a> and mask the underlying costs of healthcare, the Cassidy-Crapo legislation would provide money to qualifying recipients for health savings accounts. Only those with bronze and catastrophic marketplace insurance plans and those earning less than 700% of the poverty level would qualify. Those aged 18-49 would receive $1,000 annually for an HSA, and those 50-65 would receive $1,500.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3911442\/john-thune-obamacare-subsidies-democratic-bill\/\">THUNE EYES POSSIBILITY OF &lsquo;SERIOUS&rsquo; OBAMACARE TALKS ONCE DEMOCRATIC BILL FAILS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>On Tuesday, Schumer condemned the plan as a &ldquo;phony proposal&rdquo; equivalent to &ldquo;junk insurance&rdquo; and insisted the Democratic extension was the &ldquo;only realistic&rdquo; avenue to preventing millions of people from facing out-of-pocket premium increases starting Jan. 1, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Neither healthcare bill is expected to garner the 60 votes needed to advance, but the legislation will offer both sides a messaging opportunity ahead of the midterm elections.<\/p>\n<p><em>This story is developing and will be updated.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Thune to counter Democrats&#8217; Obamacare vote with GOP plan<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3108,"featured_media":2519329,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25343669936350.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[6203,12589,23610],"class_list":["post-2519328","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-gop","tag-obamacare","tag-thune"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25343669936350.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2519328","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3108"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2519328"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2519328\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2519332,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2519328\/revisions\/2519332"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2519329"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2519328"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2519328"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2519328"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}