Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Neither Side In Kimmel, Cassidy Dust-Up Conveys Complexities Of Health Care, But TV Host Gets The Edge
The New York Times: Jimmy Kimmel Accused A Senator Of Lying About His Health Care Bill. Who’s Right?
Jimmy Kimmel, the talk show host who has become the unlikely face of opposition to Senate Republicans’ latest health care push, insisted he had done his homework. Mr. Kimmel spent a second straight night arguing against the proposal on Wednesday. Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a co-sponsor of the bill, responded by telling news outlets that “Jimmy doesn’t understand.” (Qiu and Victor, 9/21)
The Associated Press Fact Check: Kimmel’s Take On Health Care Harder To Refute
Who’s right — President Donald Trump and Sen. Bill Cassidy, or late-night host Jimmy Kimmel? None has really captured the complexity of the debate over who might lose insurance protections in the latest Republican health care bill. But of the three, the TV guy is the hardest to refute. Trump insists in a tweet that the bill covers pre-existing conditions, a point also made by Cassidy, a sponsor of the legislation. But there’s a catch. It allows states to get a waiver from “Obamacare” requirements that insurers charge the same to people with health problems as they do to healthy people. (Alonso-Zaldivar, 9/22)
The Associated Press: Jimmy Kimmel Transforms Debate, And Shows Comedy's New Role
If the latest Republican attempt to repeal Obamacare doesn't work, it may become known as the Jimmy Kimmel Non-Law. The comic's withering attacks this week have transformed the debate over the bill (sponsored by Sens. Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy) and, in the process, illustrated how thoroughly late-night talk shows have changed and become homes for potent points of view. (Bauder, 9/21)
Politico: Kimmel Tells Viewers: ‘We Have Until Sept. 30’ To Stop GOP Health Bill
Jimmy Kimmel on Thursday said it’s not his job to talk about health care — but he’s doing it anyway, until Senate Republicans’ last-ditch bill to repeal Obamacare is stopped. “I should not be the guy you go to for information on health care,” the late-night TV host said on Thursday’s show. “And if these guys … would tell the truth for a change, I wouldn’t have to.” (Diamond, 9/21)
The Hill: Jimmy Kimmel Becomes Thorn In The GOP's Side
Republicans racing against the clock to repeal ObamaCare are fighting against Democrats, angry patient advocates and a who’s-who of health industry groups. Yet one of the most formidable opponents they face is an unlikely wild card: the comedian Jimmy Kimmel. (Lillis, 9/21)
