Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Insurer Subsidies Likely To Be In Spending Bill, Collins Vows
Funding for key ObamaCare insurer subsidies is likely to be included in the upcoming government funding bill, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said Wednesday. Collins said she had received reassurances Tuesday from Vice President Pence that the subsidies, opposed by House conservatives, would be in the funding bill. (Weixel, 12/13)
In Congress, where most lawmakers are hesitant to spill secrets about ongoing negotiations, answers are often found in what lawmakers are not saying. And House Republican leaders are not saying much about subsidies for health care insurers lately. GOP leaders’ continued refusal in recent weeks to rule out funding the cost-sharing reduction subsidies, or CSRs, which President Donald Trump’s administration has stopped paying, is not a guarantee that Congress will do so. But it’s certainly a green light for negotiations to continue. (McPherson, 12/14)
House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows said on Wednesday morning that GOP leaders never vowed to keep funding for key Obamacare insurance subsidies out of a year-end spending agreement. That contradicts claims made last week by the head of another group of conservative House members, Republican Study Chairman Mark Walker, who said that Speaker Paul Ryan had promised not to restore the cost-sharing payments that President Donald Trump halted earlier in October. (Cancryn, 12/13)
In other news —
House appropriators tonight introduced a bill to fund the government through Jan. 19 that includes funding for the CHIP program and community health centers. The bill includes the CHIP language approved by the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the full House to fund the children's health program for five years and the health centers for two. (Haberkorn, 12/13)
The surprise election of a Democrat in Alabama has dealt a major blow to Republican hopes of reviving ObamaCare repeal next year. Republicans already failed multiple times this year to pass an ObamaCare replacement through the Senate with a 52-48 majority. Next year, thanks to the election of Democrat Doug Jones in Alabama, their margin for error will be even slimmer, at 51-49. (Sullivan, 12/14)
