Overnight Healthcare: Senate GOP takes lead to prevent shutdown

Senate Republicans are taking the lead in an effort to avoid a government shutdown next week.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday filed a motion to advance a spending bill that defunds Planned Parenthood, setting up a Thursday vote. 

Democrats will filibuster the stopgap funding measure because of the Planned Parenthood rider, setting up votes on a so-called “clean” continuing resolution next week.

{mosads}Sen. John Thune (S.D.), the Senate’s No. 3 Republican, said the House and Senate had been in talks and leaders decided that it was better for the Senate to move forward first, to show that a funding bill cutting off Planned Parenthood would fail. 

“It was concluded that giving the Senate ball control by taking the first whack at this and demonstrating what the traffic will bear in terms of where the votes are in the Senate, would give the House an indication of where we are,” Thune said.

Thune said a “clean” spending bill without defunding could come up after that vote fails on Thursday. 

“And then we’ll go to plan B, and I don’t know at that point whether that means the Senate would lead or the House would lead,” Thune said. Read more here.  

CLINTON UNLOADS ON INSURERS, BIG PHARMA Hillary Clinton launched a full-on assault against pharmaceutical and insurance giants on Tuesday as she promised to limit sharp increases of drug costs nationwide.

Speaking in Iowa, Clinton attacked pharmaceutical companies as engaging in “price gouging” and “profiteering” while millions of people struggle with skyrocketing prices.

She also flung attacks at the health insurance sector, accusing companies of “keeping the savings” from ObamaCare for themselves.

“I think the insurance companies need to be put on notice that they need to help people afford the medical care they need, not make it increasingly expensive and difficult to access,” she declared to roaring applause. 

Clinton’s remarks offered her first direct criticism of the Affordable Care Act after months of embracing the law in full, acknowledging that the law did not “solve all of our problems.” Read more here.

BURWELL DETAILS OBAMACARE SIGN-UP STRATEGY HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell is narrowing her focus during this year’s healthcare sign-up season, which she admits will be the toughest to date.

Burwell will devote resources to the 10.5 million people who are eligible for marketplace coverage but remain uninsured – a new figure released by HHS on Tuesday. Of that population, many are young, poor and from a minority background, according to data from the department.

Her outreach will focus specifically on five urban areas — Dallas, Houston, northern New Jersey, Chicago and Miami — that have the most uninsured people who qualify for marketplace coverage.

HHS is planning to spend less this year on enrollment activities, a senior official said Tuesday, though he did not provide dollar amounts. Read more here.   

DEMS BLOCK 20-WEEK ABORTION BAN Senate Democrats on Tuesday blocked a Republican bill that would ban most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. 

The measure failed to advance in a 54-42 vote, falling short of the 60-vote threshold needed.

Democratic Sens. Robert Casey, Jr. (Pa.), Joe Donnelly (Ind.) and Joe Manchin (W.Va.), who all oppose abortion rights, joined Republicans in voting to advance the bill. Republican Sens. Susan Collins (Maine) and Mark Kirk (Ill.), who support abortion rights, voted against it. Read more here. 

What we’re reading

Reid, Warren met with progressive groups on Planned Parenthood ahead of shutdown 

Study: ObamaCare isn’t killing jobs 

Republicans eye state waivers to kill ObamaCare 

With Walker out, Jindal’s campaign says it stands alone on replacing ObamaCare

State by state

In legal battle with Alabama, Planned Parenthood calls controversial videos ‘patently false’

Wisconsin Assembly to take up Planned Parenthood funding 

American Bridge ad in Florida attacks anti-ObamaCare candidates

What you might have missed from The Hill

ObamaCare sign-ups swell to 17.6 million 

Ayotte slams tying Planned Parenthood fight to spending bill 

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