As the first government shutdown since 2019 begins, GOP leaders insist any talk of extending COVID-era enhanced subsidies for ObamaCare plans won’t happen until at least mid-November.

“We are not going to be held hostage for over $1 trillion in new spending on a continuing resolution,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said Tuesday.

But insurance experts agree: If Republicans have their way, millions of people who buy health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplaces will see premium spikes.

Without action in the next month, enhanced tax credits passed during the pandemic to help people afford coverage will expire at the end of the year. Democrats are demanding a permanent extension in return for their votes on a short-term continuing resolution to keep the government funded.

While many Republicans appear happy to let the enhanced subsidies expire, party leaders recognize there’s likely a political cost to doing so. They’ve indicated a willingness to talk but are holding firm that an extension........

© The Hill