Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trump Open To Preserving Most Popular Parts Of Health Law
President-elect Donald Trump said he would consider leaving in place certain parts of the Affordable Care Act, an indication of possible compromise after a campaign in which he pledged repeatedly to repeal the 2010 health-care law. In his first interview since his election earlier this week, Mr. Trump said one priority was moving 鈥渜uickly鈥 on President Barack Obama鈥檚 signature health initiative, which Mr. Trump said has become so unworkable and expensive that 鈥測ou can鈥檛 use it.鈥 Yet, Mr. Trump also showed a willingness to preserve at least two provisions of the law after Mr. Obama asked him to reconsider repealing it during their meeting at the White House on Thursday. (Langley and Baker, 11/11)
Just days after a national campaign in which he vowed repeatedly to repeal President Obama鈥檚 signature health care law, Donald J. Trump is sending signals that his approach to health care is a work in progress. Mr. Trump even indicated that he would like to keep two of the most popular benefits of the Affordable Care Act, one that forces insurers to cover people with pre-existing health conditions and another that allows parents to cover children under their plan into their mid-20s. (Abelson, 11/11)
The ban on insurers denying coverage to individuals who are sick "happens to be one of the strongest assets," of the Affordable Care Act, Trump said. He acknowledged that keeping the provision allowing children to stay on their parents鈥 plans for a period of time "adds cost, but it鈥檚 very much something we鈥檙e going to try and keep." (Tracer, 11/11)
The shift brings Trump in line with past Republican attempts at repealing and replacing the law, which focused on rolling back large elements like the individual mandate while holding onto several of its most popular provisions. However many policy experts have warned that requiring plans to cover sick people without a mandate or other way of bringing healthy people into the insurance pool will send premiums sky-high. (Cancryn, 11/11)
Trump seemed more set on repealing and replacing the law in an interview with CBS' "60 Minutes" set to air in full Sunday, and he said there wouldn't be a lull period between the two. "We're going to do it simultaneously. It'll be just fine. That's what I do. I do a good job. You know, I mean, I know how to do this stuff," he said. "We're going to repeal it and replace it. And we're not going to have, like, a two-day period and we're not going to have a two-year period where there's nothing. It will be repealed and replaced. I mean, you'll know. And it'll be great health care for much less money." (Ferris, 11/11)
President-elect Donald Trump has said he may keep some parts of his predecessor's signature health care overhaul. No final decisions have been made. Based on interviews with congressional Republicans, here's a general idea of what goes, what may stay, and what's in doubt. (11/12)
The fight over Obamacare became so inflammatory that not a single Republican in the House or Senate voted for it on final passage, fearing to invoke the wrath of the Tea Party. So it鈥檚 not surprising that in the wake of Republican billionaire Donald Trump鈥檚 聽historic victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton for president last week, Trump and Republican leaders who have long called for the repeal and replacement of Obamacare are now struggling to concoct a workable alternative that won鈥檛 abruptly strip millions of low and middle-income people of their health care insurance and trigger a revolt. (Pianin, 11/12)