‘More To Come’: Mike Johnson Hints He’s Working On Healthcare Legislation To Impact All Americans

House Speaker Mike Johnson suggested Thursday that Republicans are preparing a broad healthcare package aimed at lowering premiums nationwide.

Senate Democrats and Republicans each rejected the other’s healthcare plan Thursday, as dueling votes on extending enhanced ACA subsidies and expanding Health Savings Accounts both failed amid leaders declaring the opposing plans “dead on arrival.” Johnson spoke briefly to reporters in the Capitol, saying that he and his conference are crafting a plan that goes beyond the Democrats’ push to extend enhanced Obamacare subsidies.

“I‘ve spoken to all my colleagues. We‘ve all worked around the clock to try to come up with a solution that satisfies the needs of all of our constituents,” Johnson said.

When CNN’s Manu Raju pressed Johnson on whether he would allow a vote on the Democrats’ subsidy-extension bill, he pointed to a forthcoming Republican plan.

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“We‘re working on a package of legislation that will reduce premiums for all Americans, not just 7% of them,” Johnson told Raju. “And I‘ve been talking to every one of these colleagues in tough districts about that. So, stay tuned, there’s more to come.”

The Democratic plan stemmed from the deal that won their support to reopen the government after a monthlong shutdown. Their measure would grant a three-year, no-strings extension of the boosted ACA subsidies and is projected to increase the federal deficit by roughly $350 billion over 10 years.

Republicans countered with the Health Care Freedom for Patients Act, authored by Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chair Bill Cassidy and Finance Committee Chair Mike Crapo. Their framework would steer roughly $1,000 to $1,500 into Health Savings Accounts tied to Bronze or Catastrophic ACA plans, and it does not continue the enhanced subsidies Democrats want to preserve. (RELATED: Fake People And Phony SSNs Had 100% Success In Getting Obamacare Subsidy, Fraud Investigation Finds)

GOP leaders have rallied behind the Cassidy-Crapo approach, saying taxpayer money should go straight to individuals instead of flowing through insurers. They said that insurance companies have seen profits climb since the expanded subsidies took effect and added that ACA premiums have risen at roughly twice the pace of premiums in employer-sponsored coverage.

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