Democrats Press Senate Republicans To Go On Record Supporting Pre-Existing Coverage Protections
The effort is led in a large part by vulnerable Democrats up for reelection. "This is a test of the Republican Party, whether or not they're going to do the right thing when it comes to protecting people with pre-existing conditions," said Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.). In other health law news: lawmakers want answers over cuts to outreach groups; Republican measures block D.C. from adding an individual mandate requirement; Americans say they find it harder to afford health care this year; and more.
The Hill:
Dems Pressure GOP To Take Legal Action Supporting Pre-Existing Conditions
Senate Democrats are targeting Republicans on health care, urging them to sign on to a resolution that would allow the Senate to intervene in a lawsuit challenging the legality of ObamaCare. The resolution, introduced Thursday, would allow the Office of Senate Legal Counsel to intervene in a case brought by Republican attorneys general that argues ObamaCare is now unconstitutional since Congress repealed the 2010 law's individual mandate last year. (Hellmann, 7/19)
The Hill:
House Dems Want Answers On Cuts To ObamaCare Outreach Groups
A pair of House Democrats want answers from the Trump administration about the decision to significantly slash funding for outreach groups that help people enroll in ObamaCare coverage. The funding will be cut from $36 million this year to $10 million in 2019, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) said last week. The administration's funding for such outreach had already been slashed last year to well below the $63 million budgeted annually under former President Obama. (Weixel, 7/19)
The Washington Post:
House Republicans Target District Over Effort To Prop Up Affordable Care Act
House Republicans passed two measures Thursday that would block the District from requiring that all residents have health insurance, opening a new front in congressional efforts to rein in the city’s government. In addition to measures targeting D.C.’s version of the individual mandate under the Affordable Care Act, lawmakers passed restrictions against using local funding to help low-income women obtain abortions, to commercialize recreational marijuana and to allow terminally ill patients to end their lives. (Portnoy and Jamison, 7/19)
The Hill:
Poll: Half Of Americans Find Health Care Harder To Afford This Year
Nearly half of respondents in a new poll said they are now finding it more difficult to afford health care than they were a year ago, according to a poll released Thursday. The Navigator poll found 49 percent of respondents said it’s more difficult to afford prescription drugs, insurance premiums and doctor visits compared to last year. Additionally, 78 percent of those surveyed said they believe the government should be doing more to make health care more affordable. (Samuels, 7/19)
The Fiscal Times:
Association Health Care Plans Not Gaining Traction
At NFIB’s 75th anniversary party in June, President Trump announced new rules that make it easier to offer such plans, promising a new option for “low-cost, great health care” for business owners and employees around the country. But it looks like few groups are taking advantage of the new system, Politico reports, and even the NFIB has abandoned long-held intentions to offer a plan for its hundreds of thousands of members. (Rainey, 7/19)
