Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Bipartisan Group Of Lawmakers Crafts 5-Prong Plan To Shore Up Affordable Care Act
The Hill: Bipartisan Group Floats ObamaCare Fixes
Dozens of House lawmakers from both parties unveiled a series of proposals on Monday designed to fix problems dogging the Affordable Care Act. “The last great hope for this country is that Republicans and Democrats prove they can work together,” Rep. Tom Reed (R-N.Y.), co-chairman of the Problem Solvers Caucus, said in a statement. (Lillis, 7/31)
Modern Healthcare: Bipartisan Coalition Looks To Solve Problem Of Individual Market
The Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan group of 43 House of Representative members, announced Monday that they have agreed on principles for improving Obamacare. "The Caucus hopes to restore some predictability as insurance companies make decisions about premium prices in 2018," the announcement said. The caucus is 21 Republicans and 22 Democrats, with another Republican expected to join soon. (Lee, 7/31)
Bloomberg: Republicans Face Tough Choice: Repeal Obamacare Or Cut Taxes
After the collapse of the Obamacare repeal, Republicans may have to choose between pursuing another health bill or pushing through a tax overhaul this year, because there’s almost certainly not enough time to do both. And that’s not even their biggest problem -- which is, they can’t agree on either. The Senate debate last week laid bare how sharply divided the party remains over health care. And Thursday, the group in charge of developing a tax plan made clear that it’s agreed on very little. (Dennis, 7/31)
Politico: Newest GOP Health Care Attempt Faces Same Tough Odds
Senate Republicans couldn’t agree on a way to repeal and replace Obamacare. So now they’re contemplating a totally different approach: Blow it up and let the states sort it out. The latest attempt to resuscitate the GOP's repeal bid would reshape the nation’s health care system by sharply curtailing the federal government’s role and placing the future of Obamacare in the hands of governors. But Republican senators will have a hard time overcoming the internal divisions that doomed their three attempts last week to unravel the Affordable Care Act. (Cancryn, 7/31)
Arizona Republic: 3 Arizona Lawmakers Want Bipartisan Health Care Fix
A proposal released Monday by the 43-member Problem Solvers Caucus would effectively guarantee insurance subsidies for the individual markets and exempt more businesses from mandated health coverage. U.S. Rep. Martha McSally helped craft the bipartisan plan for the Republicans as a way to help stabilize the individual markets, which face a deadline next month for setting premium levels even as President Donald Trump has suggested he may withhold subsidies to them. (Hansen, 7/31)
The Hill: Paul Suggests Trump Will Take Action On Trade Groups, Insurance
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) told President Trump on Monday that he believes administrative action can be taken to let organizations, such as trade groups, band together to buy insurance. ...Paul, for example, would like to let groups — such as AARP and the Chamber of Commerce — come together to buy health insurance and negotiate for lower costs. “Can you imagine the leverage you would get for drug prices and insurance prices if you were negotiating for 5 million people?” Paul said. (Roubein, 7/31)
Politico: Schumer: Republicans Have Been In Touch About Health Care
Sen. Chuck Schumer said Monday he has heard from 10 of his Republican colleagues in response to his call for a bipartisan approach to health care legislation. “No one thought Obamacare was perfect — it needs a lot of improvements,” Schumer (D-N.Y.) said after an unrelated news conference at Albany Medical Center. “We’re willing to work in a bipartisan way to do it. What we objected to was just pulling the rug out from it and taking away the good things that it did: Medicaid coverage for people with parents in nursing homes, for opioid treatment, for kids with disabilities, pre-existing conditions.” (Vielkind, 7/31)
Boston Globe: Warren Says Senate Should Improve Existing Health Care System
At a round table at the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center on Monday, Warren called her GOP colleagues’ failure to repeal the Affordable Care Act “a triumph for democracy” — and said it is time for senators to turn their attention to enhancing the existing health care system. ...The mood in the room Monday was celebratory, as health center patients and staff thanked Warren for her efforts to uphold the Affordable Care Act, and she touted the center as a model for low-cost, community health care in return. (Parker, 7/31)
