Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
GOP's Strategy Starkly Different Than Democrats' When Crafting Health Law
The Washington Post: The GOP’s Dramatic Change In Strategy To Pass Its Health-Care Law
To get the Affordable Care Act passed, Democrats used a big-tent approach, convening health-care groups that did not normally talk to one another while cutting deals and strong-arming key industry players to build broad support for the plan. First, the drug companies got on board. Then came the hospitals and the doctors. (Johnson, 3/13)
The Washington Post: There Are Now Enough Skeptical Republicans To Doom The GOP’s Obamacare Replacement Bill
To get their version of an Obamacare replacement through Congress and onto President Trump's desk, Republican leaders need only a simple majority in both chambers to approve it. But that could be difficult. (Phillips, 3/13)
The Hill: GOP Senator Decries 'Mythical' House ObamaCare Strategy
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) on Monday pushed back on Speaker Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) plan to repeal and replace ObamaCare in three phases, calling it “politicians’ talk.” In addition to passing the current GOP replacement measure in the Senate with the 50 votes required by budget reconciliation, Ryan has pointed to the Trump administration’s actions on its own as Phase 2. Additional legislation under a 60-vote threshold in the Senate would serve as Phase 3. (Sullivan, 3/13)
Los Angeles Times: Darrell Issa Is 'Not Prepared' To Support GOP Healthcare Plan Yet
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) said Monday he is "not prepared" to vote for Republican's health care bill. "I'm not prepared to vote for it [as it] is right now," the long-serving Republican congressman said Monday on "Fox and Friends." (Wire, 3/13)
Richmond Times-Dispatch: Rep. Wittman Announces Opposition To His Party's Affordable Care Act Replacement
In a bad sign for the prospects of a Republican bill to replace the 2010 Affordable Care Act, U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman, R-1st, announced late Monday that he’s opposed to the plan. Wittman issued a statement that said he still wants to repeal and replace Obamacare, but that the proposal on the table from congressional Republicans falls short. (Wilson, 3/14)
Roll Call: Conservatives Take Shots At Independent-Minded GOP Senators
Activist groups that want conservative orthodoxy on Capitol Hill have aimed their fire previously at Republicans including House Speaker Paul D. Ryan and his predecessor, John A. Boehner. Now they have some new targets. Their focus has turned to three senators who’ve shown some willingness to challenge President Donald Trump: Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and John McCain of Arizona. ... [Adam Brandon, president of FreedomWorks] also worries that McCain and Collins could defect if Republicans take up legislation to repeal the health care law, and he’s concerned that they could oppose the confirmation of Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Judge Neil Gorsuch. (Zeller, 3/14)
Politico: Trump Looks To Woo Conservatives On Obamacare Repeal
President Donald Trump's White House is increasingly likely to support some conservative-backed changes to the House Obamacare alternative, two administration officials said Monday — a move that comes after a nonpartisan budgetary analysis showed 24 million people could lose insurance under the bill. (Dawsey, Bade and Palmeri, 3/13)
Chicago Sun Times: Planned Parenthood Head To Roskam: 'Women Are Watching' His Votes
Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards is putting pressure on Rep. Peter Roskam to vote against the Affordable Care Act replacement bill, which features language to “defund” the healthcare non-profit — urging constituents to let him know “women are watching” and will remember his votes come election time next year. Roskam has been under fire for not hosting in-person meetings about the Obamacare repeal. Last month the Wheaton Republican ducked out of a GOP organization event in Palatine as protesters — upset about his support of the Obamacare repeal — stood outside. He has hosted several “tele-townhalls” instead. He has since attended private meetings with constituents about the Republican replacement plan. The overhaul has prompted concerns among Republicans governors, such as Bruce Rauner and Massachusetts’ Charlie Baker. (Sfondeles, 3/13)
WBUR: Can White House Bowling Heal GOP Divisions And Spare The Health Care Bill?
The two-lane Truman Bowling Alley isn't glamorous or grand, but as bowling alleys go, the location is mighty exclusive. It's in the basement of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, inside the White House complex. And on Tuesday night it will be the latest backdrop for a high stakes sales pitch to a group of conservative House Republicans known as the Freedom Caucus. They are skeptical of what the president is selling: the American Health Care Act, or as Breitbart called it derisively, "Obamacare 2.0." (Keith, 3/13)
And in other news on the American Health Care Act —
Reuters: Republican Obamacare Repeal Would Benefit Wealthiest: Study
A Republican plan to repeal taxes set under Obamacare would benefit the wealthiest U.S. households at more than five times the rate for middle-income families, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center. (Morgan, 3/13)
Georgia Health News: Feds Look At ACA Provision As Possible Way To Lower Premiums
The head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Tom Price of Georgia, said Monday in a statement that a provision of the Affordable Care Act allows waivers “to modify existing laws or create something entirely new to meet the unique needs of their communities.” The ACA, also known as Obamacare, is the target of repeal efforts in Congress. But it remains in force, along with the waiver provision noted by Price. (Miller, 3/13)
NPR: Health Bill Could Affect Patients Widely, Surgeon Worries
Atul Gawande is a cancer surgeon at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Mass., and a staff writer at The New Yorker magazine. He has spoken out against the GOP bill, expressing concern that it would cause poor and sick people to lose health coverage. (Hersher, 3/13)
Kaiser Health News: Families To Pay Price If Maternity Care Coverage Is Cut By GOP
Christie Popp, who is pregnant with her third child, is hoping hard that the maternity coverage she has through the Affordable Care Act doesn’t go away. That coverage is written into the health law as a requirement for every plan sold on the individual market. But that could change if Republicans get their way to repeal the ACA and remake health care. (Rovner, 3/14)
Kaiser Health News: Companies Behind Health Savings Accounts Could Bank On Big Profits Under GOP Plan
Health savings accounts are poised for a major expansion by Republicans in Washington, D.C., and that could mean millions more customers — and fees — flowing to a handful of companies. Investors are betting on it, bidding up shares of HSA provider HealthEquity by about 35 percent since the November election. It’s one of the best performing stocks on Wall Street since Donald Trump won the White House. (Terhune and Appleby, 3/14)
Kaiser Health News: Say What? Fact-Checking The Chatter Around The GOP Health Bill
Republicans are in a hurry to get their “repeal and replace” health care bill to the House floor. In just the week since it was introduced, two committees have approved the “American Health Care Act,” and a floor vote is planned before month’s end. But in the rush to legislate, some facts surrounding the bill have gotten, if not lost, a little buried. Here are five things that are commonly confused about the health overhaul effort. (Rovner, 3/13)
The Hill: House Reschedules Healthcare Bill Markup Due To Weather
The House Budget Committee announced Monday evening that it had rescheduled its markup of the GOP’s healthcare bill because of inclement weather expected in D.C. The markup was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but the committee announced Monday evening that it will now take place on Thursday. (Master, 3/13)
