Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
As Conservatives Dig In On Complete Repeal, GOP Leaders Warily Eye Growing Intra-Party Divide
The Hill: Rift In GOP Threatens ObamaCare Repeal
House Republicans are facing a major split on ObamaCare repeal that threatens to stall the effort. Members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus late Monday vowed to oppose any ObamaCare repeal bill that doesn’t go as far as what Congress passed in 2015. But the bill being pushed by the Freedom Caucus would repeal ObamaCare’s expansion of Medicaid, an option that centrist Republicans are wary of supporting, particularly in the Senate. (Sullivan, 2/14)
Roll Call: Coffman Promises Constituents No Repeal Of Obamacare Without Replacement
Colorado Republican Rep. Mike Coffman promised constituents that there would be no repeal of Obamacare without a replacement while others in his party are pressing for Congress to do the opposite. Coffman made the pledge while announcing a “listening tour” on the Affordable Care Act in his district. Coffman said he will hold meetings with members of the medical community, patients and constituents in order to discuss the issues and concerns. (Prater, 2/14)
The Washington Post: Ryan Faces Major Test In Selling Obamacare Repeal And Replacement
House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) spent Tuesday on a door-to-door tour of the Capitol in hopes of salvaging his plan to repeal and largely replace the Affordable Care Act by spring. The day-long blitz comes as Republicans in Congress have made virtually no visible progress in recent weeks on overhauling the health-care system, according to interviews with several senior GOP aides. (Snell and DeBonis, 2/14)
The Associated Press: Conservatives Want Fast Health Law Repeal, Leaders Cautious
Conservatives have demanded a quick vote on erasing much of President Barack Obama's health care law, with some threatening to oppose less sweeping legislation. But House Republican leaders said they were working deliberatively as the party continued its struggle to find a replacement that could pass Congress. "This affects every person and every family in America," House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., told reporters on Tuesday. "That's why we're taking a step-by-step approach." (Fram, 2/14)
The Washington Post: Hill Republicans Are Eager To Talk Policy. But Trump Is Getting In Their Way.
One by one, Republican lawmakers stepped to the microphone and talked about the topic that was not consuming Washington on Tuesday morning: overhauling the health-care system. One committee chairman declared that Republican lawmakers were “working on solutions” to replace and repeal the Affordable Care Act. Another chairman was more cautious, explaining that Republicans were “taking our time” to “get it right.” House Speaker Paul D. Ryan spoke on each side of the issue, saying both that the health-care system is “collapsing” and needs a “rescue,” and promising a “step-by-step approach” leading to a “stable transition.” (Kane, 2/14)
Kaiser Health News: Influence Of GOP Doctors Caucus Grows As Congress Looks To Replace Health Law
The confirmation of Tom Price, the orthopedic surgeon-turned-Georgia congressman, as secretary of Health and Human Services represents the latest victory in the ascendancy of a little-known but powerful group of conservative physicians in Congress he belongs to — the GOP Doctors Caucus. During the Obama administration, the caucus regularly sought to overturn the Affordable Care Act, and it’s now expected to play a major role determining the Trump administration’s plans for replacement. (Galewitz, 2/15)
