Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
There's No Real Buy-In From Republicans On Bill Making It Tough To Get To 50 Votes
The Washington Post: The Senate Health Bill Is Almost An Orphan With Few Real Supporters
The Senate did not author the proverb about success having many fathers while failure is an orphan, but the words often typify how senators react to legislation that is struggling to win approval. On Tuesday, after a roughly 90-minute huddle with his caucus, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) began his weekly news conference on “the news of the day” — the struggling effort to pass health-care legislation that would repeal and replace portions of the Affordable Care Act. (Kane, 7/11)
CQ Roll Call: Senate GOP Leaders Struggle For Progress On Health Law Repeal
Senate Republicans expect to review two versions of legislation that would roll back the 2010 health care law Thursday, and GOP leaders still hope to bring a bill to the floor next week, though it remains unclear whether 50 Republicans will coalesce around a measure. Senators were briefed during a policy lunch Tuesday on what changes may be included in a revised measure. One version includes a proposal from Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, that would allow insurers to sell policies on the federal exchanges that don’t comply with the health law’s regulations, while the other does not include that amendment. (McIntire, 7/11)
The New York Times: What’s Dividing Republican Senators On The Health Care Bill
As Republican leaders plan to release a revised health care bill on Thursday, at least a dozen senators have expressed concerns about several major issues in the current draft. (Singhvi and Parlapiano, 7/11)
The Fiscal Times: Five Ways Republicans Can Regain Their Mojo On Health Care
The Senate needs to craft a workable bill and get it passed. It does not have to be the best bill ever written – it just has to be better than Obamacare, which improved over time thanks to more than 70 significant changes made to the original legislation and still came up short. The GOP can tinker with their healthcare effort too, as the need arises. (Peek, 7/12)
Los Angeles Times: Obamacare 101: Is There A Smaller Fix For The Affordable Care Act?
With Senate Republicans struggling to find votes for sweeping legislation to roll back the Affordable Care Act, several GOP lawmakers have raised the prospect of a more limited bill — passed with help from Democrats — to stabilize health insurance markets around the country. That may be heresy for conservative Republicans who’ve spent seven years demanding the full repeal of Obamacare, as the law is often called. (Levey, 7/12)
Meanwhile —
Politico: Graham Drafting Alternative Heath Care Plan
Sen. Lindsey Graham said on Tuesday that he’s working with other senators to draft an alternative plan to replace Obamacare — and he hopes to win Democratic support. The surprising comments by the South Carolina Republican come as Senate GOP leaders struggle to come up with the 50 votes necessary to pass their bill to repeal and replace the 2010 health law. (Wright, 7/11)
The Hill: Graham Working On Own Healthcare Plan
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is working on his own healthcare plan, his office confirmed Tuesday. Kevin Bishop, a spokesman for Graham, said the plan would take the form of an amendment to the current GOP repeal and replace bill. He did not say whether it would essentially be a substitute for the current bill, which does not appear to have the support to pass the Senate. (Sullivan, 7/11)
Columbus Dispatch: Portman In Crosshairs Of Heated Health-Care Debate
Even by the standards of the traditional D.C. summer, the heat is on Sen. Rob Portman. The Ohio Republican, re-elected easily in 2016, has seen protests inside his D.C. and Columbus offices, including one that spurred arrests over the July 4 recess. He’s been targeted by multiple ads from those urging him to oppose the current Senate health-care bill. And this week, the CEOs of five large Medicaid providers in the state sent a letter urging Portman to remain steadfast in his opposition to the bill. All this for a bill he currently opposes. (Wehrman, 7/12)
Denver Post: Michael Bennet Gives Animated Speech Against GOP Health Care Bill On Senate Floor
A fired-up U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet on Tuesday took to the Senate floor, where he called the GOP’s health care bill a “terrible” piece of legislation that virtually nobody in Colorado supports. The Democrat’s speech came just after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, announced he will delay the Senate’s August recess by two weeks to complete work on health care and other issues. Other Democrats also took to the floor Tuesday to lambaste the Republican legislation as the debate over the contentious bill heats up. (7/11)
