Trump Promises Protections For Preexisting Conditions That May Not Be Delivered By GOP Bill
The president spoke Sunday about the hot-button topic, saying he "mandated" that coverage for preexisting conditions will be in the Republican health care bill. But while the current version of the proposed legislation says "access" is guaranteed for people with preexisting conditions, it is silent on a key point: whether such access must be affordable.
The New York Times:
Pushing For Vote On Health Care Bill, Trump Seems Unclear On Its Details
After two false starts on President Trump’s promise to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Trump administration officials are pressing the House to vote on a revised version of the Republican repeal bill this week, perhaps as soon as Wednesday, administration officials said. And on Sunday, Mr. Trump insisted that the Republican health legislation would not allow discrimination against people with pre-existing medical conditions, an assertion contradicted by numerous health policy experts as well as the American Medical Association. (Pear, 5/1)
The Associated Press Fact Checker:
Are Trump's Health-Plan Protections Real?
President Donald Trump is promising that the latest Republican health care legislation will cover people with pre-existing conditions "beautifully." Such reassurance is not to be found in the bill that's been under review. (Woodward and Drinkard, 5/1)
The Associated Press:
Fears Of Losing Pre-Existing Conditions Protection Under GOP
From cancer to addiction, doctors and patient groups are warning that the latest Republican health care bill would gut hard-won protections for people with pre-existing medical conditions. Some GOP moderates who may seal the legislation's fate are echoing those concerns. In a strongly worded statement this week, the American Medical Association said the Republican protections "may be illusory." The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network said the plan could take the nation back to a "patchwork system" that pushes costs on people with life-threatening conditions. (Alonso-Zaldivar and Fram, 4/28)
Politico:
GOP Faces Make-Or-Break Moment On Obamacare Repeal
House Republican leaders and White House officials are increasingly confident about passing their long-stalled Obamacare replacement bill: More lawmakers than ever are committed to voting “yes," they say, and GOP insiders insist they’re within striking distance of a majority. But the window of opportunity for Speaker Paul Ryan and his leadership team is closing fast. The House is scheduled to leave town for a one-week recess on Thursday, and some senior Republicans worry that failing to get it done by then would fritter away critical momentum. Skittish Republicans would return home to face a barrage of pressure from Democrats and progressive outside groups. (Bade, Bresnahan and Cheney, 4/30)
The Wall Street Journal:
New Plan, Same Hurdle In GOP’s Quest To Gut Obamacare
After weeks of debating and arm-twisting, Republicans intent on toppling the Affordable Care Act remain vexed by the same obstacle they faced when they tried to overturn the law last month: Taking away people’s guaranteed health insurance is hard to do. A renewed effort to bring a House Republican plan to the floor faltered by week’s end, a blow to President Donald Trump’s hopes of landing a health-care deal in his first 100 days. Republicans are vowing to push ahead with the bill, saying it has stalled but not died. (Armour and Peterson, 4/28)
In other national health care news —
The Associated Press:
Lawmakers Settle On Hard-Fought $1 Trillion Spending Bill
Congressional Republicans and Democrats have reached agreement on a huge $1 trillion-plus spending bill that would fund most government operations through September but denies President Donald Trump money for a border wall and rejects his proposed cuts to popular domestic programs. Aides to lawmakers involved in the talks disclosed the agreement Sunday night after weeks of negotiations. The bill was made public in the pre-dawn hours Monday. ... The measure funds the remainder of the 2017 budget year, through Sept. 30, rejecting cuts to popular domestic programs targeted by Trump such as medical research and infrastructure grants. (Taylor, 5/1)
The Washington Post:
Congress Reaches Deal To Keep Government Open Through September
Democrats fought to include $295 million to help Puerto Rico continue making payments to Medicaid, $100 million to combat opioid addiction, and increases in energy and science funding that Trump had proposed cutting. If passed, the legislation will ensure that Planned Parenthood continues to receive federal funding through September. (Snell, 4/30)
The Washington Post:
Trump Appoints Antiabortion Champion To HHS Post
President Trump announced Friday that he will appoint Charmaine Yoest, one of the nation’s most prominent antiabortion activists, to a high-level post in the Department of Health and Human Services. Yoest, a former Reagan administration official who until last year was president of Americans United for Life, will serve as assistant secretary of public affairs. In that position, she will help develop a communications strategy for the sprawling agency that includes Medicaid, Medicare, the Affordable Care Act and family planning programs. (Somashekhar, 4/28)
The Washington Post:
Lawmakers’ Questionable Stock Trades Prompt New Bill
Rep. Louise M. Slaughter introduced a bill Friday to close “ethics loopholes” in a five-year-old law that has failed to stop members of Congress from taking advantage of exclusive stock deals that are not available to the general public. Slaughter (D-N.Y.), a co-author of the 2012 Stock Act, said she decided that amendments to the law are needed because of controversial, discounted stock purchases that were made by Reps. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.) and Tom Price (R-Ga.), now the secretary of health and human services, in 2015 and 2016. (Kindy, 4/28)
NPR:
Stroke Procedure Results In Miraculous Recovery For Some Patients
On July 17, 2014 Kurt Hinrichs, of Gladstone, Mo., went to bed early. As often happens, he woke in the middle of the night. When he tried to get out of bed, he crashed to the floor, which woke his wife, Alice. "At first it was like, 'What's going on?'" Alice says. "Are you dreaming? Are you sleepwalking?" Kurt wasn't responding to anything Alice asked him, so she called 911. "I [was] thinking, 'this is a nightmare,'" Kurt says. (Zhorov, 5/1)