Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Republicans On Hill Quietly Hope Trump Forgets Promise That They Are Working On 'Spectacular' Replacement Plan
The Washington Post: For Trump’s ‘Party Of Healthcare,’ There Is No Health-Care Plan
Republicans have no intention of heeding President Trump’s urgent demands for a new health-care plan to replace the Affordable Care Act, fearing the potential political damage that such a proposal could cause in 2020 and hoping he will soon drop the idea, according to interviews with numerous GOP lawmakers, legislative staffers and administration aides. Not only is there no such health-care overhaul in the works on Capitol Hill — there are no plans to make such a plan. (Kim and Dawsey, 3/30)
The Washington Post: Republicans Maintain That They Are ‘Working On A Plan’ To Replace Obamacare
White House counselor Kellyanne Conway maintained Sunday that Republicans are “working on a plan” for replacing the Affordable Care Act, days after President Trump surprised members on both sides of the aisle when he declared that the Republican Party “will soon be known as the party of health care.” In an appearance on “Fox News Sunday,” Conway told host Chris Wallace, “The Republican plan is manifold.” But she did not provide specifics, instead going on to attack Democrats over the Medicare-for-all ideas that some in their party have embraced. (Sonmez, 3/31)
The Associated Press: Senate GOP Wary In Trump's Revived Health Care Battle
President Donald Trump's decision to revive the fight over the Affordable Care Act has stirred a political and policy debate among Republicans on how best to approach the divisive issue heading into the 2020 election. Failing to repeal and replace the ACA, otherwise known as Obamacare, is one of the biggest shortcomings of the president's first term in meeting its goals. It left Republicans with a broken campaign promise, dismal approval ratings and a narrative they haven't been able to shake — that they don't support protecting those with pre-existing medical conditions from high-cost care. In some races, it cost Republican seats last fall, flipping House control to Democrats. (Mascaro and Lucey, 3/30)
Politico: Collins Urges Barr Not To Work To Kill Obamacare
Sen. Susan Collins wants Attorney General Bill Barr to reverse the Justice Department's aggressive move seeking to obliterate the Affordable Care Act. In a letter to Barr sent Monday, the Maine Republican argues that if the Trump administration wants to change the health care law, it should come to Congress and ask. Otherwise Barr's department should be defending the law from a lawsuit seeking to cripple it, she says. (Everett, 4/1)
