Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Compromise On Health Care Plan Woos Conservatives, But Silence From Moderates Is Deafening
Politico: Moderates Mum On Repeal Bill Changes That Would Strip Consumer Protections
While hardline House conservatives are falling in line behind the latest Republican Obamacare repeal bill, there's ominous silence from most moderates whose support is also essential to getting the measure passed in the House. The latest version would allow states to opt out of several key Obamacare protections, allowing insurers to charge older and sicker people more than younger and healthier people, according to a summary obtained by POLITICO. So far, none of the moderates who opposed an earlier repeal bill have publicly committed to supporting the latest version. (Haberkorn, Dawsey and Cancryn, 4/24)
Politico: Trump Pledges Premiums Will 'Start Tumbling Down' Under His Health Care Plan
President Donald Trump on Monday pledged that his yet-to-be-unveiled health care plan will cause premiums to “start tumbling down” and produce “real” health care. “If our healthcare plan is approved, you will see real healthcare and premiums will start tumbling down,” Trump said on Twitter. “ObamaCare is in a death spiral!” (Conway, 4/24)
Politico Pro: Politico-Harvard Poll: Republicans Can't Move Beyond Obamacare Repeal
While 60 percent of Americans want Republicans either to work with Democrats to fix the Affordable Care Act or move on, just as many Republicans want their party to repeal the health care law entirely or try again on a replacement plan, according to a new POLITICO-Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health poll. (Millman, 4/25)
In related news —
Kaiser Health News: HHS, States Move To Help Insurers Defray Costs Of Sickest Patients
As congressional Republicans’ efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act remain in limbo, the Trump administration and some states are taking steps to help insurers cover the cost of their sickest patients, a move that industry analysts say is critical to keeping premiums affordable for plans sold on the law’s online marketplaces in 2018. This fix is a well-known insurance industry practice called reinsurance. Claims above a certain amount would be paid by the government, reducing insurers’ financial exposure and allowing them to set lower premiums. (Findlay, 4/25)
