Laura Ingraham asked House Speaker Mike Johnson how Republicans will avoid being blamed for rising health-care costs as the GOP unveils a new plan to address ACA subsidy concerns. Johnson said Republicans are "very close" to agreement and pointed to a GAO report he said found questionable subsidy applications and other problems. Insurers and state officials acknowledge fraud risks but largely urge extending subsidies while strengthening verification. President Trump also weighed in, criticizing Obamacare and calling for more funds to reach people rather than insurers.
Ingraham Presses Mike Johnson: Can Republicans Avoid Blame Over Rising Health-Care Costs?
Fox News host Laura Ingraham directly pressed House Speaker Mike Johnson on how Republicans plan to avoid being held responsible for rising health-care costs as the party unveils a new GOP proposal to address Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidy concerns.
On Friday's edition of The Ingraham Angle, Johnson described the GOP plan — intended to respond to worries that health-care expenses could spike if ACA premium subsidies expire at year’s end — and said it would allow a separate vote on extending subsidies, though the plan itself does not automatically renew the payments.
Where The Proposal Stands
Johnson said Republicans are "very close" to an agreement and expected to bring the measure to the House next week. But several House Republicans have voiced reservations, and it remains uncertain whether the plan can pass amid competing proposals from multiple coalitions in both chambers.
Political Risk And The Fraud Claims
Ingraham pressed Johnson on the political stakes, asking bluntly how Republican leaders would avoid being blamed for higher costs. Johnson called attacks by Democrats and parts of the media "a total fiction" and pointed to a Government Accountability Office report he said exposed fraud in the ACA subsidy program.
INGRAHAM: How do you avoid getting blamed for this? The same kind of thing happened in the shutdown in October. We all know what they promised on Obamacare. It was all a lie...
JOHNSON: ...The Government Accountability Office just came out with a new report this past week, Laura. For example, over the last two years they identified 24 questionable applications, 23 of which were approved; some applications lacked Social Security numbers, income verification or proof of citizenship. He also alleged millions were paid to insurers for ineligible or deceased individuals and pointed to cases of Social Security numbers used multiple times to fraudulently claim subsidies.
The program’s insurers and state regulators acknowledge vulnerabilities and instances of fraud, but many have urged lawmakers to extend ACA subsidies while strengthening verification systems rather than letting the payments lapse immediately.
Expert And Presidential Responses
Sabrina Corlette, research professor at Georgetown University’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms, summarized that position succinctly:
"If you have a problem with car thieves in your community, the policy solution is not to make cars more expensive for residents to buy."
President Donald Trump, asked about rising health-care costs in the Oval Office, criticized Obamacare and said he wanted more federal dollars to reach people rather than insurers. He called the law "horrible health insurance" and urged policies that would let Americans buy "much better healthcare at very little cost."
Outlook
As House Republicans push their proposal, lawmakers, insurers and state officials remain divided over whether to extend ACA subsidies, how best to fix program vulnerabilities and how to manage the political fallout heading into the election year. The outcome will shape both policy and campaign messaging in the months ahead.
