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ACA Deadline Nears as 20 million Brace for Higher Health Costs

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The Affordable Care Act subsidies that help more than 20 million people pay for health insurance are set to expire at the end of the month.

Published

5 months ago

December 2, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The Affordable Care Act subsidies that help more than 20 million people pay for health insurance are set to expire at the end of the month. Congress is running out of time to prevent steep premium hikes across the country, and families who rely on marketplace coverage face growing uncertainty while political leaders argue over what to do next.

President Donald Trump has sent mixed signals on whether he will support a short-term extension. “Somebody said I want to extend it for two years. I do not want to extend it for two years. I would rather not extend them at all,” said Trump in an exchange with reporters on Air Force One. He added that “some kind of an extension may be necessary to get something else done because the unaffordable care act has been a disaster. It is a disaster,” he said during the weeklong scramble that followed the shutdown agreement.

Inside Congress, Republicans are split. Some want new income limits and other restrictions on the subsidies. Others are pushing broader overhauls built around individual health spending accounts and different benefit structures. Negotiations were jolted when word leaked that the White House had considered a temporary extension framework, only for the plan to be shelved after conservative backlash.

Moderate Republicans say any serious proposal must have the president’s backing. “The president has got to sign whatever we do, otherwise it is a legislative exercise,” said Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican from Pennsylvania, who is working on a bipartisan plan that mirrors elements of the shelved White House framework.

Democrats argue that the public is on their side. They point to KFF polling that showed 78 percent of Americans support extending the ACA tax credits, including 59 percent of Republicans. They also note that an estimated 22 million marketplace enrollees currently receive subsidies to lower their monthly premiums.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota, said Senate Democrats will force a vote before the end of the year under a deal struck to reopen the government. “That vote will happen. And whether it will pass is in the hands of Donald Trump and the Republicans,” Klobuchar stated in a televised interview.

The House is a tougher road. Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, has declined to commit to any vote on extending the subsidies and has criticized the current credits. He called the ACA tax credit structure a “boondoggle,” said Johnson earlier this month.

Democrats warn that failure to act will put real money on the line for families and may reshape next year’s midterm campaigns. Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, said internal polling has already made the stakes clear for Republicans. “The pollsters have obviously told them that they are going to get their clocks cleaned if they do not fix the health care mess they created,” he remarked. “They may hate the ACA and Barack Obama so much they are willing to lose an election.”

D.C. ACA Subsidy Deadline Story

D.C. Region Faces ACA Shock as Subsidy Deadline Closes In

The looming expiration of Affordable Care Act subsidies threatens to send insurance premiums sharply higher for residents across the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. The Washington region sits at the center of a national political fight, but the consequences for local families could be immediate if Congress does not act before the end of the month.

Kaiser Family Foundation data show that more than 682,000 people in the four jurisdictions bought coverage on the ACA exchange this year. The share receiving advance premium tax credits includes 28 percent of enrollees in D.C., 78 percent in Maryland, 87 percent in Virginia, and 98 percent in West Virginia.

For older households in the region, the numbers are stark. A 60-year-old couple with an income of $85,000 would face an average monthly premium increase of $1,900 if subsidies disappear, according to Kaiser. In Virginia, the same couple would see increases between about $1,200 and $1,400 per month. In Maryland, the jump would still be roughly $1,100 a month. District families who rely on marketplace coverage are in similar danger if Congress lets the credits lapse.

The Senate is expected to vote in early December, honoring a commitment from Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, who promised Democrats a floor vote to end the 43-day shutdown. That agreement gave the Democratic caucus the right to bring forward an ACA-related bill this month.

The House remains the major roadblock. Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, has refused to guarantee a vote on any extension and has criticized the ACA tax credits. Johnson referred to the subsidies as a “boondoggle,” said Johnson during the recent funding fight.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat from New York, is trying to force the issue. Jeffries filed a discharge petition to bring a three-year extension bill to the floor and has warned colleagues that time is short. “There are just 13 legislative days left before the Affordable Care Act tax credits expire,” wrote Jeffries in a letter to House members. “We only need a handful of Republicans to join us in order to save the healthcare of tens of millions of Americans,” said Jeffries.

Some Republicans in swing districts have backed shorter extensions or bipartisan compromise bills with new eligibility limits. One of the key negotiators is Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican from Pennsylvania, who has been working with Democrats on a plan that mirrors elements of a leaked White House framework. “The president has got to sign whatever we do, otherwise it is a legislative exercise,” said Fitzpatrick.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota, said Senate Democrats will not let the issue slide. “That vote will happen. And whether it will pass is in the hands of Donald Trump and the Republicans,” said Klobuchar during an appearance on CNN.

President Donald Trump has also added uncertainty. “Somebody said I want to extend it for two years. I do not want to extend it for two years. I would rather not extend them at all,” said Trump while flying on Air Force One. He also said that “some kind of an extension may be necessary to get something else done because the unaffordable care act has been a disaster. It is a disaster,” said Trump as aides weighed how to handle the deadline.

Democrats warn that communities in and around the nation’s capital will feel the pain if the subsidies expire and premiums spike. Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, said Republicans are allowing their hostility toward the law and its namesake to override political self-interest. “The pollsters have obviously told them that they are going to get their clocks cleaned if they do not fix the health care mess they created. They may hate the ACA and Barack Obama so much they are willing to lose an election,” said Murphy.

Stacy M. Brown

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2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Published

1 day ago

May 3, 2026

Oakland Post

The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.

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Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

Published

1 day ago

May 3, 2026

admin

Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

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OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

Published

1 day ago

May 3, 2026

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A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

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