Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
As GOP Struggles To Settle On Subsidy Plan, Dems Say They Will Be Ready To Act Quickly
The Washington Post: Your Pocket Guide To Obamacare Replacement Plans
Within a week, the justices are due to rule in King v. Burwell whether federal subsidies can flow through state health insurance exchanges created by the federal government. A decision for the Obama administration would maintain the status quo and kill perhaps the last significant legal challenge to the 2010 health care law. A decision for the plaintiffs would be a major victory for Republicans who hate the Affordable Care Act, but it would also put the party immediately on the spot. That’s where the trouble begins. (Viebeck, 6/23)
NPR: Republicans Don't Have A Plan Yet To Replace Obamacare Subsidies
If GOP lawmakers get the court decision they've been hoping for, it will be up to the Republican-controlled Congress to figure a way out of the mess. After more than 50 votes in the House to repeal either all or parts of the Affordable Care Act, Republicans have yet to unveil a proposal on how to replace the health care law. And they also haven't united around a stopgap plan that would bridge an adverse ruling by the court with the health care policies of the next president. Republicans in both chambers have been working for months on proposals, but, so far, House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — and their respective caucuses — haven't coalesced around a single path forward for the 6.4 million people, who would lose their subsidies should the court rule against the Obama administration in King v. Burwell. (Chang, 6/23)
Reuters: Democrats Vow Action If Supreme Court Rejects Part Of Obamacare
Democrats were prepared to quickly come up with a legislative solution should the U.S. Supreme Court rule in the next few days to invalidate a central part of President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law, party leaders in the Senate said on Tuesday. The high court is expected to rule by the end of June in a case that challenges tax subsidies that are helping millions of Americans afford health insurance premiums under the 2010 Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare. (Cornwell, 6/23)
