'Obamacare' enrollment opens, as Republicans threaten the health insurance program used by millions

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans can start signing up Friday for health care coverage offered through the Affordable Care Act marketplace for 2025, days before a presidential election that could threaten eligibility and raise costs for millions of those in the program.

The future of ‘Obamacare’ has emerged as a key issue in the closing days of the presidential campaign, with a top GOP leader promising this week to overhaul the program should Republican Donald Trump win the presidency.

Billions of dollars in tax credits are also at stake. Established during the COVID-19 pandemic, the money has expanded eligibility for millions of Americans, made health insurance coverage more affordable for many and dramatically boosted enrollment.

Nearly all of the 21 million people in the program have benefited from those subsidies, which expire next year, the U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in an interview with The Associated Press.