Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
In Separate Vote, House OKs Nullifying Congressional Exemption From Its Health Law
Lawmakers and congressional staff are unlikely to face higher premiums or fewer health-care benefits as a direct result of the House Republicans鈥� health-care plan for one big reason: they work in the District of Columbia. That鈥檚 the conclusion of health-care experts who said Congress鈥檚 535 lawmakers and the thousands of Capitol Hill staffers who work for them won鈥檛 be much affected by the American Health Care Act, which passed the House narrowly on Thursday. This is despite the House鈥檚 move to nullify a provision in the amended bill that originally exempting them from the plan鈥檚 changes, according to several health-care experts. (Viebeck, 5/5)
Accusations of hypocrisy greeted the House passage of the amended American Health Care Act on Thursday, as people were outraged 鈥� erroneously 鈥� by claims that the bill does not apply to Congress. It is true that an early version of the bill exempted lawmakers from its provisions. But a subsequent piece of legislation, which the House approved, eliminated the exemption, effectively nullifying that claim. (Qiu, 5/4)