Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trump Says He'd Extend ACA Subsidies Only To Make Time To Hash Out A Plan
Politico: Trump Opens The Door To Obamacare Subsidy Extension
President Donald Trump on Tuesday suggested he was open to extending Obamacare subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year if it would give Congress time to make changes that he supports to the federally run health care plan. “Some kind of an extension may be necessary to get something else done, because the unaffordable care act has been a disaster,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One, referring to Obamacare’s official name, the Affordable Care Act. (Haslett and Gardner, 11/25)
Politico: The Big Sticking Point In The White House's Health Care Proposal
The White House’s silence on how its health care plan deals with abortion is causing a headache for Republicans on Capitol Hill. For many GOP members, an expansion of abortion restrictions in Obamacare is a must-have. But the White House’s decision to leave the issue out of its tentative framework caught Republicans off guard, leaving them in the dark about whether the president would ultimately stake out a position publicly, according to two aides granted anonymity to disclose private discussions. (Ollstein, Carney and Haslett, 11/25)
Axios: What's Next For ACA Tax Credits? 5 Scenarios For The Subsidy Drama
President Trump's trial balloon for extending the Affordable Care Act's enhanced subsidies has been shot down, but the real moment of truth for him and Congress may come in the run-up to the next government funding cliff, in late January. (Sullivan, 11/26)
The Washington Post: Why Health Savings Accounts Aren’t A Substitute For Real Insurance
Republicans facing voter ire over spiking health premiums are resurrecting one of their favorite ideas: give people power to pay for medical care on their own, with tax-free dollars in individual health savings accounts. The GOP is toying with the idea of taking federal subsidies that currently help people buy Affordable Care Act insurance and diverting some of the money into individuals’ HSAs, although passing legislation without help from Democrats is a tall order with Republicans’ slim Senate and House majorities. (Winfield Cunningham, 11/25)
The New York Times: Once Foes Of Obamacare, Some Republicans Push To Protect It
Representative Jen Kiggans, Republican of Virginia, once called for eliminating the Affordable Care Act. Representative Mike Lawler, Republican of New York, has repeatedly called it “a disaster.” But the two are part of a small group of G.O.P. members of Congress — most of them facing tough re-election races next year in competitive districts — who have broken with their party to push for a temporary extension of a crucial piece of the law: subsidies, currently slated to expire at the end of the year, to help Americans afford their premiums. (Jimison, 11/25)
KFF Health News: Trump Almost Unveils A Health Plan
Republicans remain divided over how to address the impending expiration of more generous Affordable Care Act plan tax credits, which will send premiums spiraling for millions of Americans starting in January if no further action is taken. The Trump administration floated a proposal over the weekend that included a two-year extension of the credits as well as some restrictions pushed by Republicans, but the plan was met with strong pushback on Capitol Hill and its unveiling was delayed. (Rovner, 11/25)
More on the high cost of health care —
Stat: Health Insurers Trying To Avoid Costly Medicare Enrollees Draw Scrutiny
Major health insurers are taking drastic steps to discourage older adults from signing up for their private Medicare plans as they seek to boost profits, drawing the ire of insurance brokers and state regulators. (Herman, 11/25)
KFF Health News: After Shutdown, Federal Employees Face New Uncertainty: Affording Health Insurance
Larry Humphreys, a retired Federal Emergency Management Agency worker in Moultrie, Georgia, says he and his wife won’t be traveling much next year after their monthly health insurance premium payment increases more than 40%, to $938. Humphreys, 68, feels betrayed by the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. “As federal employees we sacrificed good salaries in the private sector because we thought the benefits from government would be better now, in retirement,” he said. (Galewitz, 11/26)
