Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trump Tweets That 'I Am Very Supportive' Of Senate Health Plan
President Donald Trump tweeted Thursday evening that he is 鈥渧ery supportive鈥 of the health care bill crafted by Senate Republican leadership, departing from an earlier more cautious approach by his White House communications team. The president鈥檚 support for the bill 鈥 which proposes Medicaid cuts, and an end to the 2010 health care law鈥檚 individual mandate 鈥 comes as Senate leaders must win over several conservative senators who on Thursday announced they have concerns with the measure. It is unclear whether Trump鈥檚 support will help bring those conservatives on board. (Bennett, 6/22)
Trump said Wednesday night at a campaign-style rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, that he had told senators to 鈥渁dd some money to it鈥 to produce a healthcare bill with 鈥渉eart.鈥 Asked Thursday morning whether the Senate draft met that standard, the president suggested some changes were needed. "A little negotiation, but it's going to be very good," he told reporters. (Levey and Mascaro, 6/22)
President Donald Trump called four conservative holdouts who could wreck Senate Republican leaders鈥 health care bill 鈥済ood guys,鈥 saying there is a 鈥渘arrow path鈥 to win their support and pass the measure. ... During an interview on 鈥淔ox & Friends鈥 taped Thursday at the White House and aired Friday, Trump appeared eager to avoid offending any of the holdouts. The president, as he did as a candidate, is not afraid of personally besmirching a political foe 鈥 but when it came to Paul, Johnson, Cruz and Lee, Trump had nothing but praise and understanding. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e four good guys and they鈥檙e friends of mine,鈥 the president said. 鈥淲e have four very good people, and it鈥檚 not that they鈥檙e opposed. 鈥淭hey鈥檇 like to get certain changes,鈥 he said, 鈥渁nd we鈥檒l see if we can take care of that.鈥 (Bennett, 6/23)