Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
GOP Worries Trump's Shifting Rhetoric On Health Law Opens Possibility Of Advocates Hijacking Debate
Politico: Trump Giving Lawmakers Whiplash On Obamacare
President Donald Trump is giving Washington a case of whiplash when it comes to his plan for Obamacare, saying one moment that he’s going to kill it and replace it with something “great” and then publicly flirting with letting it implode the next. Whether the White House can repeal and replace the law this spring — as Capitol Hill leaders say is the goal — largely depends on the president's ability to focus and outline the specifics of what he would like, while convincing reluctant GOP members to back a plan. So far, his rhetoric has been all over the place, offering differing timelines and ideas, depending on the venue and the person he's speaking with. (Dawsey and Haberkorn, 2/27)
Politico: Trump's Speech Can't Mend GOP Schisms On Obamacare
President Donald Trump may rally Republicans on a strategy to repeal and replace Obamacare in his speech to Congress Tuesday night. But the reality is his administration still has to contend with huge divisions within the GOP that have turned its top policy goal into a long and uncertain slog. Republicans lack consensus on such basic questions as how much to spend to reshape the health system, how much financial help to give Americans to buy insurance and how to come up with the money to pay for it all. (Haberkorn, 2/28)
The Associated Press: Divided Republicans Await Guidance From Trump
Congressional Republicans are hoping for clarity from President Donald Trump on key issues like health care when he delivers his first speech to a joint meeting of Congress. It comes as Republicans are discovering, a month into Trump's administration, how difficult it will be to make good on their many promises now that they control Washington in full. (2/28)
