A Year Later, Democrats See House Republicans’ Gleeful Repeal Victory As Political Gift
Republicans in the House shoved through a repeal bill a year ago, capping the day with a Rose Garden celebration. The measure ultimately failed in the Senate. Now, some Republican lawmakers say they don't regret their vote. But Democrats plan on using the issue as a talking point in the coming midterm elections. Meanwhile, former HHS Secretary Tom Price walks back his remarks on the individual mandate.
The New York Times:
On Anniversary Of House Obamacare Repeal, Democrats Look To Extract A Price
A year ago Friday, Representative Claudia Tenney of New York stood among dozens of enthusiastic colleagues in the Rose Garden to celebrate passage of a bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. When President Trump made his way onstage, Ms. Tenney clapped and smiled. On this not-so-happy anniversary, a Democratic “super PAC” is on the air with a television commercial reminding her constituents of a repeal vote that Republicans were once convinced would be a political winner. Ms. Tenney’s Democratic challenger, Anthony Brindisi, a state assemblyman, said health care is consistently one of the top issues in a vast district that runs from Lake Ontario through Utica and Rome to the Pennsylvania border. (Kaplan, 5/2)
The Hill:
Price Walks Back Warning On ObamaCare Individual Mandate
Former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price on Wednesday walked back comments he made predicting repealing ObamaCare’s individual mandate would drive up insurance costs. In a statement, Price said his remarks at Tuesday’s World Health Care Congress were taken out of context. (Weixel, 5/2)
In other national health care news —
The Washington Post:
Former Congressman Jeff Miller Emerges As A Leading Contender For Trump’s VA
Former congressman Jeff Miller, who chaired the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs before retiring from Congress last year, is considered a leading candidate to become President Trump’s next nominee for VA secretary, according to people familiar with the matter. The Florida Republican, who spent 16 years in Congress and now works in Washington as a lobbyist, met Wednesday with officials in the White House vetting office. Miller told people close to the White House that he expects to meet with Trump in coming days. (Wax-Thibodeaux and Wagner, 5/2)
The Associated Press:
Lawsuits Target Trump Administration Family Planning Policy
Two major organizations that promote birth control filed lawsuits in federal court Wednesday seeking to block the Trump administration from shifting national family planning policy to stress abstinence and potentially limit counseling for adolescents. One of the suits was filed by Planned Parenthood , which serves 41 percent of the 4 million low-income Americans who receive subsidized services through the Title X family-planning program. The other suit was filed by the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association , which contends the policy shift would reduce access to the most effective contraceptive methods and result in more unintended pregnancies. (5/2)
Reuters:
President Trump Wants To Go Further On Drug Prices: HHS Secretary
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar on Wednesday said President Donald Trump wants to go further in lowering drug prices, an issue he campaigned on during the 2016 presidential race. "HHS is currently working with the President on a comprehensive strategy to solve these problems," Azar said in a speech at World Health Care Congress. "We'll be building on the proposals in the President’s budget, but he wants to go further." (Banerjee, 5/2)
The Associated Press:
Trump Medical Record ‘Raid’ Raises Patient Privacy Questions
A doctor’s claim that three men took President Donald Trump’s medical records without a form authorizing their release in what he said felt like a “raid” has raised questions about whether this kind of action is legal. Here are some questions and answers about what happened and the laws surrounding medical records and patients’ rights to obtain them. (Johnson, 5/2)