Congress should renew ACA subsidies

“People that are against tariffs are FOOLS!” President Donald Trump recently posted on Truth Social. “A dividend of at least $2,000 a person (not including high income people!) will be paid to everyone.”
Whether or not the citizens of the United States receive $2,000 rebate checks from tariffs being collected by the Unites States (and there are a lot of hoops that would have to be jumped through for that to happen), it wouldn’t make up for the loss of Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies for the millions of Americans who rely on those subsidies for access to health care.
ACA subsidies are financial assistance, primarily Premium Tax Credits (PTCs) and Cost-Sharing Reductions (CSRs), that help lower the cost of health insurance purchased through the ACA marketplaces. PTCs lower monthly premium costs, while CSRs reduce out-of-pocket expenses like deductibles and copayments for those enrolled in a Silver plan. Eligibility for subsidies is based on a household’s income relative to the federal poverty level (FPL) and is calculated using the second-lowest cost silver plan as a benchmark.
According to Time, 24 million individuals obtained insurance through the ACA marketplace in 2025, and the Center on Budget and Policy reports that 93 percent of enrollees received tax credits that helped reduce their costs. If Obamacare subsidies do expire, marketplace estimates say that premiums could double—or even triple— for those Americans who receive enhanced subsidies that make health premiums cheaper.
As the shutdown wore on, Democrats swore extending these subsidies was a hill they would die on. It turns out that isn’t the case, and as a deal was brokered to reopen the government, guaranteeing those subsidies was not on the to-do list. Now, as open enrollment for the ACA begins, many are in limbo wondering what will become of the subsidies. Millions will be forced to drop their insurance if the subsidies go away. 
A familiar cry for many who don’t agree with the subsidies is “why should I have to pay for someone else’s health insurance?” This, of course, is referring to their tax money being used to help pay for these subsidies. The short answer is everyone’s tax money is used to pay for things they don’t agree with. Taxes are not a la carte. We don’t pick and choose for what our tax money is used. It’s collected and the government spends it. There are millions of people paying for something they oppose, all in the name of the greater good. ACA subsidies are no different. 
There is a ridiculous amount of things you can get a tax break for in this country in the right circumstances. Among those? Boat repairs, clarinet lessons, wedding stuff, swimming pools and body oils. ACA subsidies actually help millions of people. That’s not a bad thing.
At the root of all of this is the fact this country’s health care system is broken beyond repair. It needs a total reboot—but that’s a editorial for another time. In the interim, we hope our government does the right thing and continues to use taxpayer money to help people afford health insurance, access to which should be a basic human right.