Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Medicare 'Buy-In' Proposal -- A Toned Down Alternative To Single-Payer -- Gains Momentum With Moderate House Democrats
Momentum is building among House Democrats for a more moderate alternative to single-payer health-care legislation. The legislation, which would allow people aged 50 to 65 to buy Medicare, is being championed by Rep. Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.), who supported House Minority Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for Speaker in exchange for a commitment to work on his bill when Democrats take control of the House early next year. (Weixel, 11/29)
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) on Wednesday called for reviving bipartisan efforts to reach a deal聽to fix ObamaCare after an agreement she was part of聽collapsed last year. 鈥淢r. Chairman, I'm really hopeful that we can revive discussions in the new Congress and find a way past the ideological standoffs of the past,鈥 Murray said to Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), her Republican partner in forging last year鈥檚 deal, at a hearing on health care costs. (Sullivan, 11/28)
An unusual spat between Senate GOP sponsors of two bipartisan House-passed health measures might threaten the bills鈥 chances of clearing Congress this year. Both bills would normally be candidates to pass the Senate by unanimous consent so they would not聽take up much floor time, but objections from each member on the other鈥檚 bill is preventing that. One of the sponsors hopes his bill will be added to a year-end spending package. (Siddons, 11/28)
Democrats built a midterm electoral wave by聽centering their message around聽health care. But since the Nov. 6 election, many Democratic ads have shifted focus from protecting health insurance to protecting special counsel Robert Mueller. ...Focusing on health care made sense during the fall campaign, when Democratic candidates were seeking support form independents and Republicans, along with their own voters. Polls consistently showed health care was a top issue for midterm voters. Having leveraged that broad-based appeal to make big midterm gains in Congress and statehouses, 2020 presidential hopefuls are now targeting grassroots activists, whose support will be critical in the upcoming presidential primaries. (Green, 11/29)
