Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trump's Nod Toward Tax Credits Does Little To Ease Intra-Party Tensions Over Repeal
The New York Times: Republican Unity On Health Care Is Elusive, Despite Trump’s Support
President Trump’s address to Congress on Tuesday night buoyed House Republican leaders who were hopeful that his leadership would unite fractious lawmakers around a plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. But fundamental disagreements still divide Republicans on one of the central promises of their 2016 campaigns: repealing the health law. (Kaplan and Pear, 3/1)
The Washington Post: Trump’s Words On Obamacare Stir Up Intraparty Feud
President Trump ascended the bulliest of pulpits Tuesday to address a joint session of Congress. It turns out it was his fellow Republicans who needed some bullying — specifically, on their plans to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. The leader of the Republican Party took some tentative steps in his address to the joint congressional session toward a position in the Obamacare fight looming over Capitol Hill. But the president’s words sparked as much debate as they quashed. (DeBonis and Snell, 3/1)
The Associated Press: Trump Speech Leaves GOP Encouraged, But Still Divided
[Even] though Trump offered some specifics on health care and appeared to embrace a key element of a leadership-backed plan emerging in the House, his comments did little to settle an extremely difficult debate over Republicans’ top legislative priority. Indeed, a day after the president called for “unity and strength,” Republicans looked as divided as ever as they try to make good on seven years of promises to repeal and replace former President Barack Obama’s health care law. Most said Trump’s speech hadn’t changed that or brought them much closer together. (Werner, 3/1)
Los Angeles Times: Republicans Still Waiting For Trump To Take Charge On Obamacare And Taxes
By now, Republicans in Congress thought they would be working closely with the White House on signature items of the GOP agenda — repealing and replacing Obamacare, overhauling the tax code. Many hoped President Trump would play the classic executive’s role: Rolling up his sleeves to chart the direction, settle disputes and spend his political capital to bring wayward lawmakers in line. But instead, Trump has been reluctant to take charge of Republicans’ policy priorities, and GOP lawmakers worry their early momentum is fading amid intraparty squabbles over legislation and Trump’s tendency to flit from topic to topic when what they most need now is focus. (Mascaro, 3/2)
Politico: No Breakthrough On Obamacare Repeal
Senate Republicans aren't backing the latest House plan to repeal and replace Obamacare, saying they are reserving judgment until House leaders provide key details about the proposal they intend to advance as soon as next week. Top House Republican committee chairmen Kevin Brady and Greg Walden on Wednesday crossed the Capitol to rally support among their Senate counterparts for their bill but provided lawmakers with few details, such as a cost estimate, legislative language or policy details, even as they walked senators through the broad outlines of the plan. (Haberkorn, Everett and Cancryn, 3/1)
The Wall Street Journal: House Republicans Confront A More Cautious Trump On Fiscal Policy
There is the Republican president GOP lawmakers dreamily envisioned signing their legislation into law. And then there is President Donald Trump. Mr. Trump, who tore up modern political conventions during his tumultuous campaign, has turned out to be a more cautious figure in the White House—at least on fiscal policy—than are many congressional Republicans. For all the talk of Mr. Trump transforming government, it’s the House Republicans who are willing to push for big, disruptive changes to federal safety-net programs, the tax code and the Affordable Care Act—and to take on the political risk that those changes would bring. Mr. Trump, by contrast, is treading more gingerly. (Peterson, 3/1)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Republicans Make Big Push To Forge Final Health Care Deal
Spurred on by President Donald Trump’s latest call for action to repeal and replace the Obama health law, Republicans accelerated their work on Wednesday in a push to forge a GOP health care agreement, but even with a new sense of urgency, Republican leaders still face divides in the Congress on several key issues that could imperil the effort. Let’s take a look at some of the issues that are involved in GOP discussions. (Dupree, 3/2)
CQ Roll Call: Senators Quiet After Briefing On Obamacare Replacement Plan
More than a dozen Republican senators kept mum after a Wednesday closed-door briefing on a new House proposal to repeal and replace the 2010 health care law, with nearly all declining to either praise or critique the plan they were presented. The conference heard from House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady of Texas and Energy and Commerce Chairman Greg Walden of Oregon, the two House leaders with jurisdiction over the measure. Several senators said the lawmakers outlined the broad strokes of what the House plans to do but did not share legislative text or summaries. Few senators commented. Most that did said only that the meeting was constructive. (Mershon, 3/1)
The Hill: Rubio: Lack Of GOP Consensus On Healthcare Is Not A 'Weakness'
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) on Wednesday insisted that GOP lawmakers' competing opinions on potential ObamaCare replacement plans are not a cause for concern but rather a matter of "good public policy."...Republicans are scrambling to build consensus on how they will replace the Affordable Care Act. So far, myriad options have been floated, but no singular plan has been put forward by the party. The lack of consensus has made it difficult to repeal former President Obama's signature healthcare law after Republicans campaigned on a pledge to repeal and replace it. President Trump said earlier this month that a replacement plan would come in "a couple of weeks," but no plan has been proposed yet. (Greenwood, 3/1)
