Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Industry Groups Urge Congress To Guarantee Insurer Subsidies For Two Years
The Associated Press: Health Care, Business Groups Want Congress To Pay Insurers
A coalition of powerful health industry and business groups asked Congress on Tuesday to finance federal subsidies to insurers for at least two years, a stance that defies President Donald Trump's threats to halt the payments. The money — which cost taxpayers $7 billion this year — reimburses insurance companies for trimming out-of-pocket costs for millions of lower-earning customers. Those cost reductions and the subsidies are required by President Barack Obama's health care law, but a federal judge has said Congress didn't legally authorize the money. (Fram, 9/5)
The Hill: Groups Press Senators For Two Years Of ObamaCare Subsidy Funding
In a letter to the Senate Health Committee, groups including the America’s Health Insurance Plans, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American Hospital Association and the American Medical Association said Congress needs to fund cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments through at least 2019. (Weixel, 9/5)
The Hill: Groups Press Lawmakers To Stabilize ObamaCare Markets
Nearly 100 consumer, patient and provider organizations are asking lawmakers to quickly pass a bipartisan bill to stabilize the ObamaCare insurance markets as the Senate Health Committee gears up for a series of hearings on the issue beginning Wednesday. In a letter to Republican and Democratic leaders in both chambers of Congress, the groups specifically included three main items they’d like to see in a bill. (Roubein, 9/5)
Meanwhile —
The Wall Street Journal: Industry Groups Push For Repeal Or Delay Of Two Affordable Care Act Taxes
Industry groups are ramping up a campaign to repeal or delay two Affordable Care Act taxes that have critics in both parties, the latest effort to tackle the health-care system following the collapse of the broad Republican push to repeal the Obama-era law. The taxes, one on medical devices and another on health-insurance plans, were previously delayed in late 2015 as part of a larger spending package. They now are set to take effect beginning in 2018, unless Congress postpones them again or kills them off entirely. (Hackman, 9/5)
The Hill: Chamber Of Commerce Urges Congress To Stop ObamaCare Tax
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched a six-figure digital media campaign Tuesday urging Congress to repeal an ObamaCare tax on health insurance plans. The Health Insurance Tax is an annual fee owed by insurers that is set to go into effect in December. (Hellmann, 9/5)
