After Other September Successes, Unlikely Duo ‘Chuck And Nancy’ Set Sights On Health Care

The New York Times: ‘Chuck And Nancy,’ Washington’s New Power Couple, Set Sights On Health Care
When Representative Nancy Pelosi, the House Democratic leader, introduced Chuck Schumer to members of her caucus this month, she warmed up the room with a well-worn joke about her Senate counterpart: “You know they say the most dangerous place in Washington is between Chuck and a camera.” Mr. Schumer’s love of the spotlight aside, it has been behind the scenes where “Chuck and Nancy,” as President Trump calls them, have forged what may be the most surprisingly potent partnership in Mr. Trump’s Washington. (Stolberg, 9/20)

The Hill: Blumenthal: ObamaCare Repeal Bill One Of The ‘Most Cruel’ Acts In History
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said Democrats will use “all the tools and tactics” they can to stop the new Republican effort to repeal ObamaCare, legislation he called “the most cruel and outrageous.” “We are preparing and planning to use every tool and tactic available to us because we are on the precipice of one of the most cruel and outrageous legislative acts in recent history,” Blumenthal told CNN’s “The Situation Room.” (Shelbourne, 9/20)

Politico: Left On ‘Full War Footing’ To Stop Obamacare Repeal
The liberal activists roused into the streets by President Donald Trump are revving up for one last campaign to save Obamacare.The sudden resurgence of Republicans’ repeal push appeared to catch Democrats and their base by surprise. But ahead of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s plans to vote next week on a new bill to dismantle the health law, the Democratic grass roots is on what one leading activist called “full war footing.” (Schor, 9/20)

Roll Call: House Democratic Candidates Capitalize On Graham-Cassidy
Democratic House candidates are trying to appeal to Republican senators in their states as Republican prepare for another vote to repeal the 2010 health care law. ... Chrissy Houlahan, who is running in Pennsylvania’s 6th District against Ryan Costello, appealed to the state’s Republican Sen. Pat Toomey, saying the bill was “dangerous” and that it would “take away insurance from some of our most vulnerable citizens.” Former Arizona Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, who represented the state’s 1st District and is now running to challenge Rep. Martha McSally in the state’s 2nd District, tweeted a photo of her calling Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake. (Garcia, 9/21)

Meanwhile, on the single-payer front —

The Washington Post: Republicans Tweak Sanders Over Health Care, But Cassidy-Graham Could Open A Path For His Bill
One short week ago, 16 Senate Democrats and dozens of progressive groups rallied with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) to celebrate the release of his Universal Medicare for All bill — a moonshot that they hoped would reset the national conversation on health care. Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) sounded downright giddy. His own legislation to curtail the Affordable Care Act, and block grant Medicaid, was released just a few hours before Sanders’s, to a smaller but just as skeptical group of reporters. (Weigel, 9/20)

PolitiFact: Comparing Administrative Costs For Private Insurance And Medicare
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said that switching to a single-payer "Medicare for all" health system would save billions of dollars in administrative costs. ... Is the gap between private and public health insurance providers’ administrative costs really that high? Most experts agreed the numbers looked about right. But because of key differences between Medicare and private insurance, the trade-off isn’t as simple as Sanders suggests. (Tobias, 9/20)

Sacramento Bee: Progressive Group Sends Signal To All Democrats: Support Single-Payer In 2018
The Progressive Change Campaign Committee on Thursday endorsed Democratic Iowa gubernatorial candidate Cathy Glasson, singling out the labor leader for her full-throated support for a “Medicare for all” program favored by many progressive advocates. (Roarty, 9/21)