Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trump: Anyone Who Thinks Repeal Is Dead 'Does Not Know The Love And Strength' Of Republican Party
President Trump expressed confidence Sunday 鈥 both on social media and the golf course 鈥斅爐hat he and aides can somehow resurrect their attempt to repeal President Barack Obama's health care law. Hours before hitting the links with one of his critics on health care聽鈥 Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky 鈥斅燭rump tweeted: "Anybody (especially Fake News media) who thinks that Repeal & Replace of ObamaCare is dead does not know the love and strength in R Party!" (Jackson, 4/2)
Trump added in a subsequent tweet that talks are ongoing. "Talks on Repealing and Replacing ObamaCare are, and have been, going on, and will continue until such time as a deal is hopefully struck." (Balluck, 4/2)
President Donald Trump brought Sen. Rand Paul to his Virginia golf course on Sunday to talk health policy with the outspoken critic of the failed plan to repeal and replace so-called Obamacare. The outing to Trump National Golf Club came hours after Trump tweeted that talks on replacing the law have been going on and "will continue until such time as a deal is hopefully struck." (4/2)
Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky and White House budget director Mick Mulvaney golfed with the president at Trump National Golf Club in Potomac Falls, Virginia. 鈥淲e had a great day with the president. Played some golf and we talked about a little bit of health care,鈥 Paul told reporters on the White House鈥檚 South Lawn after returning from the outing. 鈥淚 continue to be very optimistic that we are getting closer and closer to an agreement on repealing Obamacare.鈥 (Talev, 4/2)
Paul, an eye doctor and Tea Party favorite, has his own ObamaCare replacement plan, which he argues goes further than the Republican House leadership plan to fully repeal and replace the 2010 health care law, under which consumers are facing rising costs and fewer policy options. (Weber, 4/2)
The Kentucky Republican clashed with the president over the Republicans' initial plan to repeal and replace ObamaCare, which Republican leaders ultimately pulled in defeat before there was a vote. Paul was among lawmakers adamant the bill would not have enough support in the House nor the Senate. Paul had knocked the plan as "ObamaCare Lite" and insisted that Conservatives in Congress would not have allowed it to pass. (Firozi, 4/2)
