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American lawmakers are meeting during the weekend for the initial time since the federal closure began more than a month ago, but hopes for a cross-party deal on how to end the standoff appeared to recede as GOP senators floated a proposal unacceptable to Democrats: eliminating the ACA, known as Obamacare.

Growing Impact of Federal Closure

The impact on Americans from the lengthiest closure of the US government in history worsened on Saturday, as federal workers went without pay, carriers were forced to ground planes and SNAP benefits have been delayed for 42 million Americans.

President's Plan from Florida Resort

As Saturday's meeting got under way, Republican senators welcomed a proposal made on social media early Saturday by Donald Trump from his golf course in West Palm Beach, for government payments to be substituted by health savings accounts.

"My recommendation is to Senate Republicans that the Billions of Dollars currently being sent to profit-driven Insurance Companies in order to save the ineffective Healthcare provided by ObamaCare, BE SENT DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN PURCHASE THEIR OWN, MUCH BETTER, HEALTHCARE," Trump posted.

GOP Support

Multiple Republican senators welcomed the plan, which is similar to a replacement for Obamacare proposed in 2017.

"We will replace this broken system with something that is truly better for the consumer," one senator said.

Another senator commended Trump's proposal on online platforms, and displayed a large print of Trump's post as he addressed on the Senate floor.

"I'm writing the bill right now," a third senator posted in reply to Trump's suggestion. "We need to stop taxpayer money from going to carriers and instead give it directly to Americans in HSA-style accounts and let them buy the health care they want."

Opposition Reaction

Democratic senators shared concerned reactions to Trump's plan.

"Essentially, Donald Trump's 'concept of a plan' for health care is yet another calculated attempt to repeal Obamacare," one Democratic senator commented. "This is the same unsuccessful Republican plan that's been defeated by the public and Congress."

Another senator responded to the censure of insurance companies by posting: "Well, Trump and the Republicans dislike how the large insurance companies are ripping-off Americans. Really? In that case I applaud your support for Medicare for All."

Ongoing Negotiations

The Senate went into recess without finding a resolution, but Senate Republican leaders have indicated an openness to an developing plan from a small group of centrist lawmakers to end the closure in return for a future vote on the ACA payments.

One Democratic senator, who is spearheading the talks among centrists, said that Democrats "need another way ahead" after Republicans turned down an proposal to reopen the government and extend the payments for a year.

Another leading Democratic lawmaker continued in maintaining that Republicans should accept a one-year extension of the subsidies before discussing the long-term of the subsidies.

"Doing nothing is irresponsible because citizens will go into debt, people will lose insurance, people will get more ill," the senator said in a Senate address. "That's what will happen if this Congress fails to act."

Partisan Dynamics

None of the Republican senators seemed to address the fact that patients would still need to buy coverage from the same insurance companies, or that Republican legislators need the backing of eight Democrats to restart the government, and the concept of eliminating and substituting Obamacare with savings accounts is unlikely to earn a single Democratic vote.

Some observers suggested that the core of such a proposal would eliminate the ACA's requirement that insurance companies cover patients with existing health issues.

After his resort visit, Trump returned to his residence and doubled down on his demand that Republicans stop seeking compromise and try instead to repeal and overhaul Obamacare with a iteration of the proposal that failed to secure enough backing in 2017.