Jennifer Shutt

WASHINGTON (States Newsroom) — U.S. senators began debating how to reduce health care costs for Americans during a hearing Wednesday, where experts’ varied recommendations and comments from lawmakers previewed the rocky and potentially long path ahead.

Republicans on the Finance Committee argued the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, has led to a spike in health insurance costs for individuals that shouldn't be offset by tax credits any longer.

Democrats urged their colleagues to extend the enhanced subsidies for at least another year to give Congress more time to address larger, more complex issues within the country’s health insurance and health care systems.

Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, said the hearing marked “the first step in building the foundation for

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