Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Clinton's Public Option Talk Draws Dismay From Some Health Industry Groups
Healthcare industry groups likely will not be pleased to hear that Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has just renewed her call for government-run health plans to compete against private insurers in the Affordable Care Act exchanges. ... But rather than seeking to establish the public option plan through federal legislation, Clinton would 鈥渨ork with interested governors, using current flexibility under the ACA to empower states to establish a public option choice.鈥 That presumably refers to the broad waiver authority under Section 1332 of the law allowing states to establish tailored health systems that achieve the ACA's coverage and cost goals. This may mean that a Clinton administration and willing states could adopt the public option without going through Congress, which may remain under Republican control after the November elections. (Meyer, 2/22)
Donald Trump swept to a convincing victory in the Nevada presidential caucuses here Tuesday evening, the Associated Press projected, building a broad coalition that left his top two rivals trailing far behind and accelerating his march to the Republican nomination. An angry electorate hungry for a political outsider in the White House catapulted Trump to his third straight win in the GOP primary race as the billionaire mogul used visceral rhetoric to tap into anxieties about the economy, terrorism and illegal immigration. (Rucker and Weigel, 2/24)