Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Repeal Of Individual Mandate Will Likely Make It To Final Version Of Tax Bill, GOP Says
House and Senate negotiators thrashing out differences over a major tax bill are likely to eliminate the insurance coverage mandate at the heart of the Affordable Care Act, lawmakers say. But a deal struck by Senate Republican leaders and Senator Susan Collins of Maine to mitigate the effect of the repeal has been all but rejected by House Republicans, potentially jeopardizing Ms. Collins’s final yes vote. (Pear and Kaplan, 12/6)
Two bipartisan ObamaCare fixes being pushed by GOP Sen. Susan Collins (Maine) would reduce premiums by 18 percent in 2019, according to a new study. The study from Avalere, a consulting firm, finds that the two bills would more than cancel out the projected premium increase from repealing ObamaCare’s mandate that most individuals purchase health insurance. (Sullivan, 12/6)
And in other news —
The plan to repeal the individual health insurance mandate penalty as part of the Republican tax overhaul could have long-term ramifications for state Medicaid programs. An estimated 5 million fewer people would be covered by Medicaid over the next decade if the mandate penalty is nixed, according to the Congressional Budget Office. But industry experts say the impact could be more sweeping because people forced to drop insurance exchange coverage as premiums rise may ultimately end up on Medicaid. (Williams, 12/7)
Healthcare lobbyists are scrambling to win changes in congressional Republican tax legislation, as Senate and House GOP leaders race to merge their separate bills into something both chambers can pass on a party-line vote this month. But provider, insurer, and patient advocacy groups doubt they can convince Republicans to remove or soften the provisions they find most objectionable. They say GOP leaders are moving too fast and providing too little opportunity for healthcare stakeholders to provide input. (Meyer, 12/6)
The conservative House Freedom Caucus and Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) are inching closer toward a deal to avert a shutdown and fund the government through Dec. 22, though some sticking points still remain. Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) and the group’s former leader, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), emerged from a meeting in Ryan’s office Wednesday morning saying they are making progress on a deal and have had productive discussions with leadership. (Zanoma and Wong, 12/6)
