Story highlights Johnson said he supported funding for CSRs

Trump said he wanted a temporary deal with Democrats on health care

Washington (CNN) Republican Sen. Ron Johnson said Sunday he believed Congress could reach an agreement on health care that includes continuing the funding of a key set of Obamacare subsidies to keep down insurance premiums.

The conservative Wisconsin senator said in an interview on CNN's "State of the Union" that he understands some of his Republican colleagues are against funding the cost-sharing reduction -- or CSR -- payments. But he said the government should keep making the payments to prevent the cost of insurance skyrocketing.

President Trump has not committed to paying insurers the cost-sharing subsidies, which reduce deductibles and co-pays for low-income Obamacare enrollees. This has prompted many insurers to raise their premiums for 2018 to make up for the anticipated loss of the subsidies. The 2018 rates have already been finalized.

Johnson added that any such move to support continuing those payments would come with strings attached.

"We should get something in return for that," he said.

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