Congress Failed to Extend the Health Care Subsidies. Now What?
The Daily
12/18/25
•26m
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This week, despite a last-ditch effort by some House Republicans to strike a deal on health care, Congress remains deadlocked on whether to extend support for millions of Americans who get their health care through the Affordable Care Act.
Margot Sanger-Katz, who covers health care policy, explains who will be most affected by the decision.
Then, we hear directly from some of the Americans who will now face a decision: whether to keep paying for rising insurance costs or to risk going without it.
Guest: Margot Sanger-Katz, a reporter for The New York Times who covers health care policy and government spending.
Background reading:
- Four Republicans joined Democrats’ bid to force a vote on health subsidies.
- Obamacare users will be asked to pay more for plans that cover less.
Photo: Eric Lee for The New York Times
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.
Previous Episode
The Tragic Death and Enduring Legacy of Rob Reiner
December 17, 2025
•43m
Rob Reiner, the classic film director, and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were killed on Sunday at their home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. On Tuesday, prosecutors charged the couple’s son, Nick, with first-degree murder.
Julia Jacobs, an arts and culture reporter for The New York Times, explains what we have learned about the deaths, and Wesley Morris, a critic at The Times, discusses why many of Rob Reiner’s films are so beloved.
Guest:
- Julia Jacobs, who reports on culture and the arts for The New York Times.
- Wesley Morris, a critic at The New York Times who writes about art and popular culture.
Background reading:
- Rob Reiner, the actor who went on to direct classic films, died at 78.
- Nick Reiner was formally charged on Tuesday with murdering his parents.
Photo: Universal/Getty Images
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.
Next Episode
Trump Says the Economy Is Good. Is It?
December 19, 2025
•28m
With anxieties building over affordability, President Trump made a push to reassure Americans just as the government released long-awaited data that raised new questions about the economic health of the nation.
Tony Romm, who covers economic policy for The New York Times, discusses how Mr. Trump is trying to take control of the issue, and Ben Cassleman, The Times’s chief economics correspondent, explains what the latest numbers tell us about why people are still so frustrated.
Guest:
- Tony Romm, a reporter in Washington covering economic policy and the Trump administration for The New York Times.
- Ben Casselman, the chief economics correspondent for The New York Times.
Background reading:
- Here are six takeaways from Mr. Trump’s address to the nation.
- With tariffs unpopular and prices still high, the White House has teased the promise of tariff rebates and large tax refunds next year.
Photo: Doug Mills/The New York Times
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.
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