Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
GOP To Unveil Bill Thursday, McConnell Promises Senators Will Have 'Adequate Time' To Review It
Reuters: After Weeks Of Secrecy, U.S. Senate To Unveil Healthcare Bill
U.S. Senate Republicans plan to unveil the text of their draft healthcare bill on Thursday as senators struggle over issues such as the future of the Medicaid program for the poor and bringing down insurance costs. Republicans in the chamber have been working for weeks behind closed doors on legislation aimed at repealing and replacing major portions of the Affordable Care Act, former Democratic President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law, popularly known as Obamacare. (Cornwell and Cowan, 6/20)
USA Today: McConnell: Senate Bill To Repeal And Replace Obamacare Coming Thursday
McConnell said that the bill was being drafted in public and that any senator could have come to working group meetings and given their input during group lunches. But other Republicans — who were in the working groups designated with drafting the bill — disagreed. (Collins, 6/20)
Los Angeles Times: Senate Republicans Promise To Unveil Obamacare Overhaul Thursday, With Votes Expected Next Week
The Republican leader can spare only two GOP votes from his slim 52-seat majority for passage, presuming Vice President Mike Pence would cast the tie-breaking vote. Pence and Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price both attended the Republican senators' lunch Tuesday in a show of support. (Mascaro and Memoli, 6/20)
The Washington Post: Senate GOP Leaders Will Present Health Bill This Week, Even As Divisions Flare
McConnell’s desire to wrap up before the Fourth of July recess reflects the sense of urgency among Republicans, including President Trump, to show progress on health care after years of vowing to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act. But McConnell’s strategy for achieving that goal — writing a bill with a handful of aides behind closed doors — has come at a cost that reached new heights on Tuesday: anger among Republicans who feel shut out of the process. (Sullivan, Eilperin and Snell, 6/20)
The Hill: McConnell: Healthcare Bill To Be Revealed Thursday
When asked how long lawmakers will have to review the legislation, the majority leader vowed that they would have "plenty of time." "I think this will be as about as transparent as it can be," he said. (Bolton, 6/20)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Republicans To Unveil Revised Senate GOP Health Care Bill On Thursday
“For weeks now we’ve been in intense discussions with all Republican Senators,” McConnell said, defending the decision to proceed without any public hearings on the GOP proposal – the details of which remain secret. (Dupree, 6/20)
WBUR: Senate Health Care Bill To Be Released On Thursday
McConnell swatted away the Democratic senators' concerns, saying that health care has always been a highly partisan issue. He referred back to the contentious passage of Obamacare in 2010. McConnell continued, "Obamacare continues to collapse. Republicans are working to implement better ideas. Democrats are trying to prevent Congress from acting. I regret that Democrats announced their intention early on that they didn't want to be part of a serious bipartisan process to move past the failures of this law. Congress still has a responsibility to act." (O'Keefe and Chakrabarti, 6/20)
