Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Repeal No Longer The Slam Dunk It Used To Be In The House
Ever since Republicans got down to the business of repealing the Affordable Care Act, the Senate has been singled out as the likely problem. Any plan that could zoom through the House would hit roadblocks among Senate Republicans, many of whom have resisted a wholesale repeal of the health law without a robust replacement plan. But after weeks of loud protests, boisterous town hall meetings and scores of quieter meetings with health care professionals, patients, caregivers and hospital managers in their districts, it is becoming increasingly likely that a consensus in the House may be just as hard to reach. (Steinhauer, 2/23)
Republican groups are putting increasing pressure on both Democratic and GOP lawmakers through new ad campaigns to urge them to repeal and replace ObamaCare. One Nation, an advocacy group aligned with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), is launching TV ads in nine states as part of an existing $3 million ad campaign.聽The ads will run in Missouri, Florida, Wisconsin, Ohio, Maine, Arizona, Alaska, Utah and Nevada over the next 10 days. In the next wave of radio and digital ads, the group will target Michigan and Tennessee. (Hagen, 2/22)
Republicans working on the repeal and replacement of the health care law have assumed that they would not be able to easily roll back the law's extensive insurance regulations because they would run into problems with Senate rules. That may be the case. But a former public trustee for Social Security and Medicare argues that it should be possible, without taking a position on whether that's what Republicans should do. Charles Blahous, a senior research fellow at the right-leaning Mercatus Center of George Mason University and former National Economic Council official, says after his review of a Congressional Budget Office report that Republicans might have the option of using the expedited budget reconciliation process to repeal some insurance regulations in the 2010 health care law. (Krawzak, 2/22)
In brief remarks on Wednesday, President Trump reiterated his promise that the administration, in concert with Congressional Republicans, will release a plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act within the next few weeks. If there is indeed a proposal on the way, Trump and Congress will have to find a way to pay for revamping a healthcare system that is now largely funded through taxes that are a core element of the ACA. (Garver, 2/22)
Meanwhile, mayors speak out about the importance of the health law聽鈥
More than 60 mayors across the country plan to hold a national day of action Wednesday urging Congress not to repeal ObamaCare. Mayors from states including New York, South Carolina and Ohio will spend the day highlighting the impact repealing the healthcare law can have at the local level.聽"We urge Congress to take into consideration the effect that the repeal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) will have on our nation鈥檚 cities large and small, urban and rural," the mayors wrote in a聽letter聽to congressional leadership. 聽(Hellmann, 2/22)
Mayors around the country are holding what they鈥檙e calling a 鈥渄ay of action鈥 Wednesday to warn of the risks to their cities if Congress repeals the Affordable Care Act without an effective replacement. More than 50 mayors are hosting town halls and other events pressing lawmakers to preserve key parts of the law, which has helped reduce the country鈥檚 uninsured rate to a record low. (Scott, 2/22)
And KHN answers questions about the future of repeal聽鈥
Health care under the Affordable Care Act is poised to change 鈥 again. The Republican-led Congress has vowed to 鈥渞epeal and replace鈥 the health law known as Obamacare. That has left many people anxious and confused about what will happen and when. So [we] asked listeners to post questions on Twitter and Facebook, and we will be answering some of them here and on the radio in the weeks ahead. (Rovner, 2/23)