WASHINGTON — Lawmakers in Washington remain split on how to address rising health care costs, with a major deadline looming at the end of the year.

“We have got to help the American people with their health care costs,” Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said.

Enhanced tax credits for the Affordable Care Act are set to expire, and without them, millions of Americans enrolled through the ACA will see increases in their monthly premiums. Democrats want to extend the program for three years.

“They are busy fighting with each other with 100 different proposals,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., countered that Democrats “haven’t put no desire to fix the broken system they created... they just want to subsidize it.”

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., cautioned against making rushed policy changes, saying, “The last thing we should do is make hasty decisions that won’t make healthcare more affordable.”

Senate Republicans are backing a plan to end the program and instead send health care dollars directly to eligible Americans. “Why would Democrats want to give all the money to the insurance company as opposed to all the money to the patient?” Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said.

The situation in the House is less clear, as moderate Republicans join Democrats in pushing for a short-term extension of the credits — a plan Johnson says lacks sufficient GOP support. “We just can’t get Republican votes on them, not enough of them,” he said.

Some Republican members expressed frustration over the lack of a firm strategy as voters face rising costs. “Are any of those things going to become law and help people before the end of the year? No,” said Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif.

The competing Republican and Democratic health care bills in the Senate are expected to get votes as early as Thursday, but none currently appear to have the support needed to pass.

Lawmakers split as ACA tax credit deadline nears

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Ross Ketschke