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Monday, Oct 23 2017

Full Issue

McConnell Open To Vote On Health Plan, But Says 'We Need A Bill The President Will Actually Sign'

Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) introduced legislation last week to stabilize the Affordable Care Act's marketplaces, but despite support from a large number of lawmakers, President Donald Trump has run hot and cold on the measure.

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, said on Sunday that he would be willing to bring a bipartisan proposal to stabilize health insurance markets up for debate if President Trump signaled his support. 鈥淚f there鈥檚 a need for some kind of interim step here to stabilize the market, we need a bill the president will actually sign,鈥 Mr. McConnell said on CNN鈥檚 鈥淪tate of the Union.鈥 鈥淎nd I鈥檓 not certain yet what the president is looking for here, but I鈥檒l be happy to bring a bill to the floor if I know President Trump would sign it.鈥 (Fandos, 10/22)

"What I'm waiting for is to hear from President Trump what kind of health-care bill he might sign. If there's a need for some kind of interim step here to stabilize the market, we need a bill the president will actually sign," he continued. (Manchester, 10/22)

Repeatedly claiming that Republicans have the votes to repeal major parts of Obamacare early next year, Trump is stoking expectations that the GOP can fulfill its seven-year pledge before the 2018 midterm elections 鈥 a promise that Republicans once again might not be able to keep. The Senate, Trump says, will have the 50 votes needed to enact the bill known as Graham-Cassidy, the last of a series of repeal bids that went down in flames this summer and fall. (Haberkorn, 10/20)

Senate Minority Leader Charles聽Schumer (D-N.Y.) called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) Sunday to聽bring聽a bipartisan short-term ObamaCare stabilization deal to聽the Senate floor this week, despite uncertain support from President Trump. "This is a good compromise. It took months to work out. It has a majority. It has 60 senators supporting it, we have all 48 Democrats, 12 Republicans. I would urge Senator McConnell to put it on the floor immediately, this week," Schumer told NBC's Chuck Todd on "Meet the Press" on Sunday. (Manchester, 10/22)

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Sunday that the Alexander-Murray bipartisan health care bill has support from a majority of senators, and he urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to bring it to the floor "immediately." 鈥淭his is a good compromise. It took months to work out. It has a majority. It has 60 senators supporting it. We have all 48 Democrats, 12 Republicans," Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on "Meet the Press" on NBC. "I would urge Senator McConnell to put it on the floor immediately, this week. It will pass and it will pass by a large number of votes.鈥 (Morin, 10/22)

Top Senate Democrats rejected White House demands Friday to add provisions weakening the Obama health care law to a bipartisan deal on steadying unsettled insurance markets. The compromise already faced an uphill path and this was the latest blow. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the Trump administration was involved in the negotiations that produced the accord and "should support it instead of floating other ideas that would further the sabotage both parties are trying to reverse." (Fram, 10/20)

White House budget chief Mick Mulvaney said Sunday聽there is a "good chance" to get a deal on ObamaCare insurer payments. During an interview on CBS's "Face The Nation," Mulvaney was asked about President Trump's position on the bipartisan health-care deal. (Savransky, 10/22)

This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
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