House Republicans are facing a major split on ObamaCare repeal that threatens to stall the effort.
Members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus late Monday vowed to oppose any ObamaCare repeal bill that doesn’t go as far as what Congress passed in 2015.
But the bill being pushed by the Freedom Caucus would repeal ObamaCare’s expansion of Medicaid, a measure that centrist Republicans are wary of supporting, particularly in the Senate.
Asked about the Freedom Caucus’s demand to simply pass the 2015 repeal bill, Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) said: “I don’t think you can get 218 votes and do just that.” Read more here. http://bit.ly/2levoxo
House GOP looks to Medicaid overhaul in ObamaCare bill
A top House Republican on healthcare said Tuesday that lawmakers are looking to dramatically restructure Medicaid as part of an ObamaCare repeal bill.
Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), the vice chairman of the House Energy and Commerce health subcommittee, told reporters that Republicans are looking to include an idea known as “per capita caps” for Medicaid in the fast-track reconciliation bill used to repeal ObamaCare.
{mosads}The comments suggest that Republicans are dealing not just with ObamaCare, but also with restructuring Medicaid as part of their repeal efforts, adding another level of complication. Read more here. http://bit.ly/2knOgKW
Humana dropping out of ObamaCare in 2018
Health insurance company Humana announced Tuesday that it would leave the ObamaCare market in 2018.
The insurer said it would offer plans through 2017, but that the market has not stabilized enough to participate next year.
Humana said it was losing money from taking on too many sick people without enough healthy people to balance the pools. Read more here. http://bit.ly/2kHD5bP
Republicans make first move targeting Planned Parenthood funding
Republicans are taking their first shot of 2017 at Planned Parenthood.
The House is expected this week to vote on a resolution that would rescind an Obama-era regulation barring states from defunding the organization for political reasons.
Because the measure is being moved through a law that allows Congress to rescind recently finalized rules, the bill cannot be filibustered in the Senate, raising its odds for success.
Republicans framed the move to rescind the regulation as a way to give back to the states the power to determine how federal funds should be spent on women’s healthcare.
“It is not the role of politicians in Washington to usurp the states’ 10th Amendment rights and subject our judgment for that of state and local leaders,” said Rep. Diane Black (R-Tenn.), sponsor of the resolution.
But Democrats call the move a thinly shrouded attack on abortion providers.
“It’s really about getting at Planned Parenthood, and this is the first salvo in doing so,” said Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.)
Read more here: http://bit.ly/2lN6Nxi
Some GOP lawmakers want entitlement reform in next budget
Members of the conservative Freedom Caucus said Tuesday entitlement reform should be included in the next budget that passes the House, despite President Trump’s campaign promise that he would leave Social Security and Medicare alone.
“I think any budget that we pass out of the House must include entitlement reform,” said Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), chairman of the House Freedom Caucus.
But, he said, benefits to taxpayers who paid into the system should be left untouched.
“I think it’s incumbent upon conservative members of Congress to put forth a conservative budget, and the only want to really address that is through saving Medicare and Social Security.”
Read more here: http://bit.ly/2lHWa1Y
What we’re reading:
Angry town hall meetings on healthcare law, and few answers (The New York Times)
Bipartisan bill aims to crack down on illicit opioid shipments into U.S. (Stat News)
A deep dive into 4 GOP talking points on healthcare (Kaiser Health News)
State by state:
Iowa House advances bill blocking Planned Parenthood funding (Des Moines Register)
House committee moves to block D.C.’s assisted-suicide law (The Washington Post)