Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Obama, McConnell Promise A Bipartisan End To Gridlock
President Barack Obama and the likely new leader of the Senate, Mitch McConnell, pledged Wednesday to work together to govern the nation in a bipartisan way a day after Republicans secured control of both chambers of Congress for the first time since Democrats won the White House in 2008. ... McConnell said Republicans will attempt to roll back the federal health care law known as Obamacare. But Obama said he would draw a line at repeal or significant changes. (Kumar and Cockerham, 11/5)
Obama also made clear that he would resist any efforts by his opponents to undercut his landmark policies on health care and the environment. And McConnell acknowledged that Obama remains 鈥渁 player鈥 even as Republicans pursue their own initiatives. 鈥淭he veto pen is a pretty powerful tool,鈥 McConnell said. But he urged Obama to follow the leads of Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, 鈥渨ho are good examples of accepting the government you have rather than fantasizing about the government you think you have.鈥 (Nakamura and Eilperin, 11/5)
President Barack Obama reiterated today that he would block Republican efforts to repeal his signature health care law. ... Obama added that while he was open to some changes, he would not sign any 鈥渢hat undermine the structure of the law.鈥 (Wheaton, 11/5)
Obama specifically declared he would not consider doing away with the law's individual mandate, which requires most Americans to obtain health care coverage or face tax penalties. Polls show this to be the most unpopular part of the Affordable Care Act, and it was the subject of a constitutional challenge that went all the way to the Supreme Court, which upheld the policy in 2012. (Young, 11/5)
Obama also mentioned certain amendments to his signature healthcare law that he鈥檇 be willing to accept, possible peace offerings in the hours after Republicans swept key congressional races and set themselves up to take over both chambers of Congress early next year. He said he wouldn't consider major changes like a removal of the provision requiring every person to have health insurance. But he said he would be "open and receptive" to ideas for making "responsible changes." (Parsons, 11/5)
Mitch McConnell already has an Obamacare problem. The presumptive incoming Senate majority leader is under rapidly increasing pressure from conservatives to pursue an aggressive path to repealing the landmark health care law, using measures that require only a simply majority. (Haberkorn, 11/5)
Fresh from his own re-election victory and his party鈥檚 powerful showing nationwide, Senator Mitch McConnell on Wednesday pledged to break the stalemate in Washington as newly empowered congressional Republicans moved quickly to demonstrate that they can get things done. ... They say they will focus on balancing the budget, restoring an orderly process for spending bills, revising if not repealing the health care law and enacting a major overhaul of the tax code 鈥 ambitious goals, given years of stalemate and discord. Before taking up the issue of immigration, Republicans are likely to see what unilateral action President Obama undertakes, and how the country reacts to it. (Hulse, 11/5)