Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Provision Tucked Into Bill Benefits Alaska, Just When GOP Is Desperate For Murkowski's Vote
Provisions shoehorned into the Republican health care bill dangle extra money for Alaska and Wisconsin, home states of one GOP senator whose vote party leaders desperately need and another who co-sponsored the legislation, according to analysts who've studied the legislation. (Fram, 9/21)
As GOP leaders continue to drum up support for the health-care proposal written by Republican Sens. Bill Cassidy (La.) and Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.), a provision buried deep in the 140-page bill benefiting Alaska has begun to draw greater scrutiny. Beginning on page 95, the bill has a provision that exempts low-density states whose block grants either decrease or stay flat between 2020 and 2026 from the Medicaid per capita cap. Under that scenario, Alaska and Montana would be exempted from the funding cap that applies to all other states during that period. (Eilperin, 9/21)
Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) are going into overdrive to win over Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R), a pivotal vote for their bill to dismantle ObamaCare and give states more authority over healthcare. The two have seen Murkowski, one of three Republicans to sink the GOP鈥檚 last repeal bill, as a critical vote for some time. (Bolton, 9/22)
Vice President Pence urged Alaska residents on Thursday to contact the state's Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, who are among the Republicans undecided on the new ObamaCare repeal plan, and ask聽them to support the bill. Pence said in an interview with Anchorage radio host Mike Porcaro that "now is the time to reach out to聽Sen. Dan Sullivan and聽Sen. Lisa Murkowski and let them know that you'd be grateful if they'd stand with President Trump and they'd vote in favor of Graham-Cassidy when it comes to the Senate floor next week." (Delk, 9/21)
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Thursday slammed Republicans for reportedly聽offering to make changes to their ObamaCare repeal bill that would benefit Alaska to win support from Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska).聽"The outright purchasing of votes. Everyone involved in this moral and intellectual monstrosity should be ashamed of themselves," Murphy tweeted on Thursday. (Manchester, 9/21)
