Democrats Want To Force Vote To Make GOP Go On Record Against Preexisting Conditions Just Before Midterms
The legislation targets President Donald Trump's newly expanded short-term plan coverage, which for the Democrats has become a proxy for the Republicans' supposed willingness to roll back protections on preexisting conditions.
The Wall Street Journal:
Democrats Counter Trump Push For Cheaper, Limited Health Plans
Democrats are fighting to derail the White House’s push for cheaper, less-robust health plans, seeking to leverage the issue for advantage over the Republicans ahead of the mid-term elections. The fight over shorter-term plans—which went on sale this month and are free from many Affordable Care Act requirements—is emerging as a proxy for the broader battle over health care. Democrats say the proliferation of such plans will raise premiums for older and less healthy people by letting healthier consumers out of coverage that complies with the ACA. Republicans say the effect won’t be significant and that all consumers will benefit by having more choice. (Armour, 10/9)
The Hill:
Dems To Force Health Care Vote Weeks Before Nov. Midterms
Senate Democrats on Wednesday plan to force a vote on a health-care measure in an effort to put Republicans on the record against pre-existing condition protections ahead of the midterm elections. Democrats say the vote will highlight that President Trump and congressional Republicans support the expansion of non-ObamaCare plans which can deny coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, an issue that Democrats have made the centerpiece of their electoral strategy. (Sullivan, 10/10)
In other election news —
The Washington Post:
How Eight Years – And President Trump – Have Changed The GOP's Tune On Medicare
Four weeks from today, Republicans will try to hold on to the House of Representatives with a message that buries the tea party movement deep underground: Keep us in charge, and we won't touch Medicare or Social Security. In TV spots, Republican candidates promise that they'll protect entitlements and save the most popular parts of the Affordable Care Act. In attack ads, the National Republican Congressional Committee warns that Democrats "support cutting $800 billion from Medicare." In debates, Republican candidates argue that Democrats who favor Medicare-for-all would bring about "Medicare for None." (Weigel, 10/9)
The New York Times:
Democrats Are Ignoring One Key Voting Group: Veterans
With control of Congress at stake in next month’s midterm elections, Democrats have a rare opportunity to gain a foothold against President Trump’s Republican Party. But if they come up short, it may be in part because of a failure to pursue a key group of voters. It’s a constituency that makes up 13 percent of the voting population, enjoys high voter turnout and is especially concentrated in some decisive swing states. That group is military veterans — and in the battle for their votes, the Democratic Party lags far behind the Republicans. According to organizers on both sides of the contest, the Democratic National Committee seems to be pursuing a strategy that focuses on running veterans as candidates instead of organizing to reach veteran voters — the D.N.C. tried that approach more than a decade ago, and it didn’t work. (Craven, 10/10)