Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Different Takes: Supreme Court, American Voters Will Get Their Say On Trump's Hostility To Health Law
The Wall Street Journal: Strike Down ObamaCare, Says Justice Department
Twenty states have filed a lawsuit against the federal government arguing that the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional—and this time the federal government agrees. When the Justice Department filed a brief last week taking the states’ side, critics furiously insisted that the failure to defend ObamaCare is a threat to the rule of law. Don’t be moved by selective outrage. This refusal to defend is actually more restrained than President Obama’s. And, as before, the courts will decide the ultimate questions. (Sai Prakash and Neal Devins, 6/13)
The Washington Post: Republicans Are Still Trying To Repeal Obamacare. Here’s Why They Are Not Likely To Succeed
Conservatives are still trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) — even after the Republican-majority Congress failed to overturn the law in 2017. A coalition of conservative groups intends to release a new plan this summer. The groups will reportedly propose ending the law’s expansion of Medicaid (the federal program that helps fund health care for low-income Americans) and convert Medicaid funding into block grants to the states. And just last week the Trump administration’s Justice Department argued in a legal filing that key provisions of the law — its protections for persons with preexisting conditions — are unconstitutional. (Eric Patashnik and Jonathan Oberlander, 6/13)
Boston Globe: Trump Gives Democrats A Political Gift On Obamacare
For what appears to be largely ideological reasons, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the Justice Department have given Democrats a political gift — a reminder that Republicans remain intent on repealing Obamacare and taking health care away from millions of Americans. (Michael Cohen, 6/13)
The Hill: New Jersey’s Disastrous Decision To Resurrect ObamaCare’s Individual Mandate
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation on May 30 that will reimpose the mandate all residents enroll in a “qualifying” health insurance plan or else pay a penalty. The national individual mandate penalty was effectively eliminated in December when the Republican-led Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. When the law goes into effect on January 1, 2019, any New Jerseyan without insurance will be required to pay a $695 penalty or 2.5 percent of his or her household income, whichever is higher. (Justin Haskins and Arianna Wilkerson, 6/13)
