House Passes Bill To Extend Health Care Subsidies

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has passed legislation that extends expired health care subsidies for those who get coverage through the Affordable Care Act. It’s a remarkable rebuke of House Speaker Mike Johnson, who tried to stop it. But renegade Republican lawmakers joined with Democrats on a so-called “discharge petition” to force action. The health care tax breaks have lowered health insurance costs for roughly 22 million people, but expired last month. The Congressional Budget Office said the proposed three-year extension would increase the nation’s deficit by about $80.6 billion over the decade, and increase the number of people with health insurance by millions. Members of the Senate are working on an alternative bill.