Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Repeal Of ACA Individual Mandate To Be Added To Senate Tax Bill
The Washington Post: Senate GOP To Add Repeal Of Obamacare Insurance Mandate Into Tax Bill
Senate Republican leaders are adding a provision to their tax bill that would repeal the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate, a major change as they now try to accomplish two of their top domestic priorities in a single piece of legislation. “We’re optimistic that inserting the individual mandate repeal would be helpful” to the tax effort, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Tuesday after meeting with party members during a closed-door lunch. (DeBonis and Paletta, 11/14)
The Associated Press: Senate GOP Insisting On Obamacare Repeal For Tax Overhaul
The surprise renewal of the failed effort to repeal the law’s mandate came a day after President Donald Trump renewed pressure on GOP lawmakers to include the repeal in their tax overhaul legislation. The move by Republicans in the Senate Finance Committee also was dictated by the Republicans’ need to find revenue sources for the massive tax-cut bill that calls for steep reductions and elimination of some popular tax breaks. (Gordon, 11/14)
The Hill: Senate GOP Tax Bill Will Include Repeal Of ObamaCare Mandate
Conservatives led by GOP Sens. Ted Cruz (Texas), Rand Paul (Ky.) and Tom Cotton (Ark.) pushed hard to include the provision, which would eliminate the federal penalty on people who do not buy health insurance. President Trump has also pushed for the provision to be part of the tax bill. [Mitch] McConnell told reporters that adding the individual mandate repeal will make it easier to muster 50 votes to pass the bill. (Bolton, Sullivan and Jagoda, 11/14)
CNN: Individual Mandate Repeal To Be Included In Senate'S Tax Bill
GOP senators have been initially receptive to the proposal, including Arizona Sen. John McCain, who cast a dramatic deciding late night vote that killed Republicans' efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare earlier this year. "Yes," he said when he was asked if he is leaning toward supporting the mandate repeal as he came out of the policy lunch. (Mattingly and Fox, 11/14)
Politico: Senate GOP Adding Obamacare Mandate Repeal To Tax Bill
John Thune (R-S.D.) said adding mandate repeal could allow Republicans to include more middle-class tax relief in the tax bill, and that he was confident it could pass the Senate. The GOP views repealing the mandate as both a down payment on its campaign pledge to undo Obamacare and a source of revenue: Repeal would generate $338 billion to help pay for tax reform. (Haberkorn, Kim and Becker, 11/14)
