Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Senators Elected In 2014 On Wave Of ACA Protests Face Potential Whiplash
Kaiser Health News: Opposition To Obamacare Becomes Political Liability For GOP Incumbents
In the 2014 elections, Republicans rode a wave of anti-Affordable Care Act sentiment to pick up nine Senate seats, the largest gain for either party since 1980. Newly elected Republicans such as Cory Gardner in Colorado and Steve Daines in Montana had hammered their Democratic opponents over the health care law during the campaign and promised to repeal it. Six years later, those senators are up for reelection. Not only is the law still around, but it’s gaining in popularity. What was once a winning strategy has become a political liability. (Hawryluk, 8/28)
Kaiser Health News: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Replay: What’s At Stake When High Court Hears ACA Case
The “What the Health?” panelists are taking a break for two weeks. But since the Supreme Court recently scheduled arguments in the case challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, it seemed like a good opportunity to replay an episode from March, when the law turned 10. As the “What the Health?” panelists point out in this episode, that’s a milestone that many considered unlikely. The past decade for the health law has been filled with controversy and several near-death experiences. But the law also brought health coverage to millions of Americans and laid the groundwork for a shift to a health system that pays for quality rather than quantity. (8/27)
