House GOP To Present Health Care Bills To Conference Ahead Of Next Week's Votes

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) said Republican leaders will present detailed health care proposals to the full House GOP conference on Wednesday to determine which measures have enough support to move to floor votes next week.

Scalise announced the plan after a Tuesday meeting in the Speaker's suite that he described as including a "good cross-section of our members" and committee leaders. He said the presentations will include written bills and previously considered measures so members can identify items ready for immediate votes and those that require further work.

"Tomorrow we're going to lay out all the things that have been worked on by the committees and see where there's consensus amongst the members to vote on some items next week, as well as continue working on the items where we're not fully in consensus in the early part of next year," Scalise said.

Republicans remain split over how to handle enhanced premium subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which are scheduled to expire at the end of the year. Moderate GOP members are pitching a short-term extension of the subsidies paired with reforms, while other Republicans prefer allowing the enhanced subsidies to lapse and pursuing alternative approaches to affordability. Democrats are pushing to extend the subsidies unchanged for three years.

Scalise was tasked with coordinating proposals alongside the chairs of the three House committees that oversee health policy: the Energy and Commerce Committee, the Education and Workforce Committee, and the Ways and Means Committee. He emphasized that many bills are already drafted and some have previously passed the House, meaning the conference will see concrete bill language rather than only conceptual proposals.

Scalise expressed confidence that members will find agreement on a few items for votes. When asked whether the conference discussion will include a vote to extend ACA premium subsidies, he said, "Well, that's, I'm sure, going to be part of the discussion."

The House debate comes as the Senate prepares to vote on Thursday on competing measures: a Democratic plan to extend enhanced ACA subsidies for three years and a Republican proposal to replace those subsidies with health savings accounts receiving federal contributions to cover out-of-pocket costs.

For the latest coverage, including updates on any bills sent to the floor, visit The Hill and Nexstar Media sources.