The checks are being sent to 950,000 people in 30 states.
Both plans, one put forward by Democrats and the other championed by Republicans, failed to get the 60 votes needed.
One in four Americans covered by the Affordable Care Act are considering going without health insurance if their monthly payments double next year, a new KFF poll finds.
California Reps. Sam Liccardo, D-San Jose, and Kevin Kiley, R-Rocklin, are leading a bipartisan effort to prevent that hike. Their bill - dubbed the Fix It Act - would extend the tax credits for two years.
The White House is circulating a proposal that would extend subsidies to help consumers pay for coverage under the Affordable Care Act for two more years.
If Congress does not extend the tax credits as part of the government shutdown deal, hundreds of thousands of Californians who have the state's health insurance could see a 97% increase in monthly premiums.