Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
In Confusion Following Collapse Of Health Bill, Supporters Of Single-Payer Seize The Moment
Liberals are pushing in from the left with their own health-care solutions, looking to gain new ground after last week鈥檚 Republican meltdown over an Obamacare replacement.聽The Progressive Change Campaign Committee, a political action committee聽that aims to represent the 鈥淓lizabeth Warren wing of the Democratic Party,鈥 began circulating a petition Wednesday calling for every person to have access to a Medicare-type plan 鈥 an idea supported by the party鈥檚 left wing but viewed with some skepticism by moderates. (Cunningham and Weigel, 3/29)
If at first he聽didn't succeed in Congress, President Trump may nevertheless be poised to undercut the Affordable Care Act. After a stinging defeat on health care聽in Congress last week, Trump said聽Tuesday night that cutting a deal with Democrats will be "such an easy one." Yet House and Senate Democrats聽say there's been no outreach while the White House clarifies it remains committed聽to repealing Obamacare. Meantime Trump could use a聽pending lawsuit and agency directives to help short-circuit the current health care law. (Przybyla, 3/29)
House Republicans flew through ObamaCare repeal and replace solo, attempting to pass the legislation quickly this year without a single Democratic vote. Now some, including those who helped kill the bill, are calling for bipartisanship. But Democrats feel burned in the process and before lending a helping hand say they need to first see clear signals Republicans are committed to working across the aisle. (Roubein, 3/29)
Senate Democrats are pressing President Trump to drop the GOP effort to repeal ObamaCare and work with them to fix it. Forty-four Democratic senators signed a letter to Trump, sent Wednesday, stating that they "remain ready and willing to work with him."...Wednesday's letter comes at a time when some House Republicans are eyeing a second run at their legislation to nix the Obama-era law, though Senate GOP leadership is signaling they want to move on to other policy fights, including the Supreme Court and funding the government. (Carney, 3/29)
The fallout from Friday鈥檚 Republican health care bill collapse is still trying to be understood. Right after the bill was pulled, President Trump teased that he wanted to work with Democrats and believed a bipartisan bill would be possible. But it wasn鈥檛 clear if that was just talk. On Tuesday night, he may have taken the first step to trying to reach across the aisle. (Montanaro, 3/29)
