Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Two Republican Senators Temper Expectations On Completely Scrapping Health Law
Lowering expectations, Iowa's two Republican senators say the long-promised repeal of "Obamacare" is unlikely, and any final agreement with the Republican-controlled House is uncertain. The comments Tuesday by Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst come as the Republican-controlled Senate moves forward on its work to dismantle the 2010 health care bill while facing conflicting demands within their own party and lockstep Democratic opposition. Both senators are active players in the health care debate. (5/31)
The seeming impasse among Senate Republicans to reach an agreement on how to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act feels like d茅j脿 vu all over again.聽The question is which senator will take on Republican congressman Fred Upton's role and broker a last-minute compromise. Upton's amendment in early May brought just enough moderates and conservatives together to pass the American Health Care Act in the House. (Meyer, 5/30)
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump wants Republicans to go nuclear on health care and tax reform聽鈥
President Donald Trump called for a change to Senate rules to allow all bills to pass with a simple majority, elbowing aside Senate Republicans鈥 current legislative strategy on taxes and health care that already rests on obtaining such a majority. 鈥淭he U.S. Senate should switch to 51 votes, immediately, and get Healthcare and TAX CUTS approved, fast and easy. Dems would do it, no doubt!鈥 Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter. (Radnofsky, Rubin and Hughes, 5/30)
