WASHINGTON —

Millions of Americans are more likely to face higher health insurance premiums in the new year after the Senate rejected competing plans to hold down costs Thursday.

Now, some are hoping the House can find a last-minute solution, but the path forward is hazy.

Enhanced tax credits for those insured through Affordable Care Act marketplaces are due to expire at the end of this year without further action. That could cause premiums to more than double on average, according to the health policy research group KFF.

A three-year extension of expanded subsidies proposed by Democrats failed in the Senate on Thursday. A Republican alternative that would have redirected those dollars toward health savings accounts for eligible Americans also fell far short of the 60 votes needed for

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