GOP Lawmakers Expect Retreat With Trump Will Provide Clearer Picture On Health Law
House and Senate Republicans head to Philadelphia on Wednesday to meet with the president. Although they caution that no one should be waiting for a comprehensive bill to come from the conference, they hope to get a better sense of where the administration stands. Meanwhile, House committees are starting to schedule hearings on repeal and replace, an outside group launches a $2.6 million ad campaign against the health law, and The New York Times offers a closer look at Republican senators' plans to let states keep the parts of the Affordable Care Act that they like.
CNN:
GOP In Health Care Holding Pattern Heading Into Philly Getaway
Republican lawmakers are heading to Philadelphia Wednesday for two days of intensive work on replacing Obamacare with hopes that some of the biggest questions can be answered by the often confounding President Donald Trump. House and Senate Republicans will pack the city, not far from where Democrats nominated Hillary Clinton just six months ago, for their annual retreat -- and crafting a replacement plan for Obamacare is at the top of their list. (LoBianco, 1/25)
CQ Roll Call:
Republicans Hope Retreat Brings Clarity On Obamacare Repeal
Republicans in Congress hope to leave this week's GOP policy retreat in Philadelphia with a clearer picture of how they will repeal and replace the landmark 2010 health care law, even as they tamp down expectations that they will reach broad consensus on detailed policy proposals by week's end. President Donald Trump is scheduled to attend and speak at the retreat, and lawmakers hope he will flesh out what he'd like to see them achieve legislatively. The meeting will also give Senate and House members dedicated time to clarify their policy positions on a bicameral basis. (Williams and Mershon, 1/25)
The Washington Post:
Key House Committee Will Hold Hearings On First Obamacare Replacement Bills Next Week
In a sign that Republican lawmakers are set to move swiftly on plans to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, key House committees are scheduling hearings and drafting legislation to unravel former president Barack Obama’s major domestic achievement. On Tuesday, the House Budget Committee is holding a hearing titled “The Failures of Obamacare: Harmful Effects and Broken Promises,” while the Ways and Means Committee is set to examine the “effectiveness” of the individual mandate to buy insurance, a linchpin of the ACA’s model to expand insurance and make it more affordable. (DeBonis, 1/24)
The Hill:
House Panel To Consider Possible ObamaCare Replacement Elements
As Republicans push forward with the repeal of ObamaCare, the House Energy and Commerce committee will examine a handful of bills that could play a role in the law's replacement during a hearing next week, according to a committee aide. The bills, which are some of the first healthcare measures beyond repeal to be considered by a committee, could fit into the Republicans' idea of a step-by-step replacement. (Sullivan, 1/24)
Roll Call:
Walden: Other Bills May Carry Health Care Replacement
The House Energy and Commerce Committee could look to attach legislation intended to overhaul the 2010 health care law onto several other bills expected to advance this year, panel chairman Greg Walden said Tuesday. Walden, speaking at an event hosted by the Republican Main Street Partnership, said repealing and replacing Obamacare would be the top health care priority for his panel in 2017. But a handful of other major programs under the committee’s purview are expected to be reauthorized by Congress before they expire at the end of the year. (Williams, 1/24)
Politico:
GOP-Aligned Group Launches Obamacare Ad Blitz
A House GOP-aligned outside group is rolling out a $2.6 million media blitz urging lawmakers to repeal and replace Obamacare — a move aimed at proving Republicans support as they craft a health care alternative. American Action Network on Wednesday will unveil the new spending on TV, digital and print ads as well as mailers in 41 districts. That brings the group’s total Obamacare ad spending to just over $4 million in January alone, a huge investment they hope will preempt Democratic attacks for their efforts. (Bade, 1/25)
The New York Times:
Keep Or Replace Obamacare? It Might Be Up To The States
Several Senate Republicans have proposed a plan that offers three options for changing health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. One option allows states to continue using the existing law. The other two options would change it in these ways. (Park and Lee, 1/24)
Kaiser Health News:
For Conservatives, A New Day In Health Care
So what would a Republican replacement plan actually look like? And would it maintain some of the more popular pieces of the ACA? To find out, we spoke with leading conservative health care expert Lanhee Chen co-author of the influential American Enterprise Institute replacement proposal. Chen previously served as the policy director for Gov. Mitt Romney during his presidential campaign and is currently a fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. (Gold, 1/25)
