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The House will be in session on Wednesday for the first time in 54 days, with all eyes on a vote to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. The House will hold first votes as early as 4 p.m. ET on Senate-passed legislation to reopen the government, according to a notice from House Republican Whip Tom Emmer. Wednesday marks the 43rd day of the shutdown, shattering the previous 35-day record. (Peller and Hutzler, 11/12)

As House Republican leaders move to hold a vote on legislation to reopen the US government, top Democrats vowed on Tuesday to oppose the bill for not addressing their demand for more healthcare funding. Democrats have for weeks insisted that any measure to fund the government include an extension of tax credits for Affordable Care Act health plans, which were created under Joe Biden and due to expire at the end of the year, sending premiums for enrollees higher. (Stein, 11/11)

Senate Republicans say they’re open to extending a pot of Affordable Care Act funds that will expire at the end of the year — but only if Democrats acquiesce to stricter abortion restrictions on insurance plans. ... Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said there will be a negotiation about an extension after the government reopens. He said one condition will be stricter rules pertaining to the Hyde amendment, which bars federal funding from being used for abortion. (Kapur, 11/11)

President Donald Trump proposed that federal healthcare funding be directed to individuals rather than through insurers in a Nov. 8 post on Truth Social. “I am recommending to Senate Republicans that the Hundreds of Billions of Dollars currently being sent to money sucking Insurance Companies in order to save the bad Healthcare provided by ObamaCare, BE SENT DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN PURCHASE THEIR OWN, MUCH BETTER, HEALTHCARE, and have money left over. (Casolo and Emerson, 11/11)

Republicans say giving health care subsidies as cash to consumers would give Americans more control over their coverage. Critics say it could severely undermine the ACA marketplaces. (Hooper and King, 11/11)

Democrats have already laid the groundwork to not only rebound from their failure to win Affordable Care Act concessions in the government shutdown but hammer Republicans on health care costs far beyond the ACA markets. (Owens and Sullivan, 11/12)

President Donald Trump didn’t get involved in negotiations to end the government shutdown. But he plans to get his hands dirty as his party confronts expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies, according to a White House official. With affordability top of mind for voters going into the midterms, too much is at stake for Trump to stay away again as the GOP grapples with whether to extend the ACA subsidies, allow premiums to spike or craft new health policy. (Gangitano and Stokols, 11/11)

The longest government shutdown in U.S. history is coming to an end, but the central issue that caused it — the staggering cost of health care — isn’t going away anytime soon. It will continue to bedevil President Trump, especially as the midterm elections draw closer. The burden is now on Mr. Trump and Republicans to bring down costs or risk peril in the those elections, after a splinter group of Democrats agreed to end the shutdown by dropping their party’s demand to extend certain health insurance subsidies. Despite repeated promises to offer an alternative to Obamacare, Mr. Trump has nothing much to show on the issue, beyond a vague plan to send money directly to policyholders. (Sanger-Katz and McCreesh, 11/11)

As a record-breaking government shutdown likely nears its end, executives at for-profit hospital chain Community Health Systems are downplaying the detrimental impact expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies and other policy headwinds will have on their business. Speaking Tuesday morning at the 2025 UBS Global Healthcare Conference, President and Interim CEO Kevin Hammons made a point to note that ACA exchanges represent less than 5% of the company’s net revenue. (Muoio, 11/11)

Â鶹ŮÓÅ Health News: Readers Take Congress To Task And Offer Their Own Health Policy Fixes 

Â鶹ŮÓÅ Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories. (11/12)