Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Support Emerging Among GOP Lawmakers For Short-Term Tax Credits If High Court Strikes Down Health Law Subsidies
The Wall Street Journal: GOP Lawmakers Seek Short-Term Tax Credits Extension
Support is growing among Republican lawmakers to temporarily help consumers pay their insurance premiums if the Supreme Court strikes down the health law’s tax credits in much of the country. The court will hear a legal challenge next week that contends the health-law’s language restricts its credits to residents of a handful of states that set up their own insurance exchanges. (Radnofsky and Armour, 2/26)
The Associated Press: GOP Claims Paper Shows Fed Aides' Preps for Health Law Loss
A leading House Republican claimed Thursday that he's been told of a 100-page document showing the Obama administration is preparing contingency plans in case the Supreme Court invalidates federal subsidies that help millions of Americans afford health care coverage. (2/26)
The Hill: Republicans Confront Health Chief On Secret Obamacare Plan
A Republican House subcommittee chairman is accusing the Obama administration of secretly preparing a fallback strategy if the Supreme Court strikes down a major piece of its healthcare reform law later this year, even as officials publicly maintain that no plan exists. (Ferris, 2/26)
Kaiser Health News: Health On The Hill: HHS Sec. Burwell Faces Stiff Questioning Over Health Law Contingency Plans
Kaiser Health News staff writer Mary Agnes Carey speaks with Melissa Attias of CQ- Roll Call about Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell’s visit to Capitol Hill, where she faced a torrent of questions about the pending Supreme Court arguments concerning health law subsidies and the impact the ruling may have on the millions of people who now have coverage because of the subsidies. (2/26)
In related news, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal steps up the push for repeal during this week's CPAC meeting in Washington while others offer congressional context -
Politico: Bobby Jindal Hits Hill Republicans On Obamacare, Common Core
[Louisiana Gov. Bobby] Jindal —who was once in with Republicans on the Hill enough to snag the role of delivering the State of the Union Republican response in 2009 — is now criticizing his party for going against campaign messages of repealing the Affordable Care Act and Common Core and, instead, “waving the white flag” on the issues. (Breitman, 2/26)
The Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire: Jindal To GOP: No Time To Quit Obamacare Fight
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, looking to carve a conservative policy niche in the crowded field of potential GOP presidential candidates, Thursday criticized fellow Republicans in Congress for backing away from the push to repeal of the health care law. “They are about to wave the white flag of surrender on Obamacare,” Mr. Jindal said at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, referring to congressional efforts to revamp rather than repeal the law. “We won’t stand for that. (Hook, 2/26)
The Fiscal Times: CPAC Alert: Conservatives Predict SCOTUS Will Rule Against Obamacare
The Supreme Court will rule against the Obama administration in the King v. Burwell case later this year, gut the Affordable Care Act and open the door to a conservative alternative to President Obama’s domestic achievement: This appears to be taken as an article of faith by many of the speakers at this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), taking place today and tomorrow outside Washington. (Garver, 2/26)
