Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trump Says ACA 'Will Destroy Health Care In America,' Promises Special Session To Repeal It
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump vowed on Tuesday to summon Congress into a special session to end and replace the Affordable Care Act, as he portrayed the repeal of the contentious health-care law as a prime reason for voters to elect him. In midday remarks in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, Trump went slightly beyond his previous promise to try to end the ACA, widely known as Obamacare, on the first day of a Trump administration. But his call for a special session puzzled many, as the current Congress is scheduled to reconvene after the election, and the new one will gavel in January, before Inauguration Day. (Goldstein and Johnson, 11/1)
The Republican presidential nominee renewed his call to repeal and replace the law known as Obamacare on the first day of the official sign-up period for coverage under the law, and in the wake of significant rate increases in many battleground states. ...聽The event represented an effort to spotlight the health law鈥檚 woes and build on the political edge Mr. Trump believes he has gained in recent days as Mrs. Clinton has been thrown on the defensive by new revelations about her email.聽The focus on the impact of the health-care law took the campaign into an unusual detour into policy and economic issues that are of direct concern to voters in a campaign that has been dominated by personal attacks. (Hook and Radnofsky, 11/1)
Donald Trump on Tuesday vowed to immediately repeal and replace President Barack Obama鈥檚 signature health care law if he鈥檚 elected president next week. But Congress won鈥檛 be able to repeal and replace the health law quickly or easily. Even if Republicans keep control of the Senate, Democrats will likely have enough votes to filibuster a quick repeal bill. (McCaskill, 11/1)
Donald Trump on Tuesday vowed to call a 鈥渟pecial session鈥 of Congress to repeal ObamaCare if he wins the White House. If he鈥檚 elected, Trump said, Republicans 鈥渨ill be able to immediately repeal and replace ObamaCare.鈥 鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the most important reasons why we must win on Nov. 8,鈥 he said during a speech in Pennsylvania, a crucial battleground state. 聽聽It鈥檚 unclear why a special session would be required to roll back the law, because the new Congress would start work before the next president is inaugurated. (Sullivan and Kamisar, 11/1)
Trump again offered little detail about how he would address rising health costs beyond vague pledges to reduce regulation of health insurance. He spent just eight minutes discussing healthcare in the speech, billed as a "special" address on the topic. But Trump鈥檚 new attacks come as state and federal officials nationwide open insurance marketplaces for 2017 enrollment amid widespread concerns about rising costs. (Levey, 11/1)
In what his campaign billed as a major health-care speech Tuesday, Donald Trump offered no new details about his plan to replace Obamacare, but re-emphasized the need to repeal the 2010 law. The ideas outlined in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, by the Republican presidential nominee鈥攖ax-free health savings accounts, insurance across state lines and sending Medicaid funds to states鈥攚ere included in a white paper he unveiled in March. They largely match proposals popular among conservative policy advocates. (Kapur and Cirilli, 11/1)
Seeking to boost their chances in the critical Philadelphia suburbs, Donald Trump and Gov. Mike Pence used a campaign stop in King of Prussia on Tuesday to denounce the Affordable Care Act and for the first time offer specifics on a health-care alternative under a Trump presidency.聽The Republican candidate presented his plan to 700 invited guests at the DoubleTree hotel, saying it would repeal and replace President Obama's health-care law, one he said has "devastated" people with health-care costs "that are more than their mortgages or rent." (McCabe, 11/2)
In Democratic-leaning Pennsylvania, a state where the campaign claims it is increasing ad spending, Trump appealed to minority communities and millennials. "In many instances, their health care costs are more than their mortgage costs, more than their rent --which by the way is a first in American history," Trump said. "This is particularly unfair to millennials and younger Americans generally, who will be totally crushed by these massive health care costs before they even get started on their journey through life." (Santucci, De La Cuetara and Smith, 11/1)
Many Americans鈥 health care 鈥 and the roiling health-care debate in Washington 鈥 is likely to be very different depending on whether Democrat Hillary Clinton or Republican Donald Trump becomes the next president. We looked at what both have said they would do with major aspects of the health-care system. (Goldstein, 11/1)
Bill Clinton on Tuesday tangled with a heckler at a Florida rally who threw back at the former president the remarks he made in October that Obamacare was the "craziest thing in the world." Clinton, who has at times gotten heated on the campaign trail, especially bristled at the suggestion that he would support repealing President Barack Obama's signature health care law. (Griffiths, 11/1)