Jude Duffy Block

The enhanced tax credits are slated to expire at the end of the year.

And when they do, the out-of-pocket costs for millions of Americans who buy their insurance on the Affordable Care Act marketplace will skyrocket.

House Speaker Mike Johnson says the GOP proposal instead tackles, quote, the real drivers of health care costs.

It will allow small businesses to band together to buy health insurance plans.

It also attempts to lower drug costs by imposing new requirements on pharmacy benefit managers.

A Democratic bill to extend the tax credits for three years failed in the Senate, as did a Republican proposal.

Members of Congress are running out of time to address health care costs before the holiday recess at the end of the week.

Jude Jaffeblock, NPR News.