Trump Praises Bipartisan Efforts, But Doesn’t Offer Actual Guidance On Health Bill Stalled In Senate
President Donald Trump joined Republican senators for their weekly lunch on Tuesday. They've been anxiously awaiting direction from the president -- who has given mixed signals on where he stands on the Alexander-Murray health bill -- but Trump didn't provide concrete guidance.
Politico:
Trump Tells Senate To Fix Taxes — Not Obamacare
President Donald Trump on Tuesday steered Senate Republicans toward tax reform and away from health care, pushing off any deal to fund controversial Obamacare subsidies to the end of the year at best. Trump joined Senate Republicans at their weekly policy lunch but gave no direction on what he wants to see in a health care bill. He praised Sen. Lamar Alexander's (R-Tenn.) work on a bipartisan deal meant to stabilize the Obamacare markets, but his emphasis on taxes led senators in the room to believe Trump doesn't want a stand-alone Obamacare vote anytime soon. (Haberkorn and Cancryn, 10/24)
The Hill:
Trump Stops Short Of ObamaCare Deal Endorsement
President Trump expressed appreciation for work on a bipartisan ObamaCare deal in a meeting with GOP senators on Tuesday but did not endorse the bill, multiple lawmakers said."He just encouraged us to continue to work on it. He made it clear that he appreciated what Sen. [Lamar] Alexander [R-Tenn.] was doing," Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said. (Sullivan, 10/24)
Meanwhile —
The Associated Press:
GOP Lawmakers Propose New Conditions On Health Bill
Two top Republicans announced a bill Tuesday restoring federal subsidies to insurers while including tough conditions sought by the White House. Senate Democrats have enough votes to kill it, but the measure underscores the changes the Trump administration and congressional conservatives say they want in exchange for resuming the payments. The proposal seeks changes in President Barack Obama's health care law that go far further than provisions in bipartisan legislation that is stuck in the Senate. That compromise has stalled as President Donald Trump has flashed contradictory signals about whether he supports it and conservatives — especially in the House — have complained it doesn't revamp Obama's statute strongly enough. (Fram, 10/24)
The Hill:
Bipartisan Health Plan Faces New Challenge From Conservatives
The new bill, introduced by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas), would fund ObamaCare insurer subsidies that Democrats and some Republicans have been asking for. In that respect, it’s similar to the deal that Senate Health Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) negotiated with Democrats. (Hellmann, 10/24)
CQ:
Hatch, Brady Propose Alternative To Bipartisan Health Bill
The proposal, by Senate Finance Chairman Orrin G. Hatch of Utah and House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady of Texas, would fund the cost-sharing payments through 2019 with "pro-life restrictions" and expand the maximum contribution limits to health savings accounts. The new proposal also would provide relief from the mandate that most individuals get health coverage from 2017 through 2021 and exempt employers from penalties if they didn’t provide insurance as required between 2015 and 2017. The pair said legislative text would be forthcoming. (McIntire, 10/24)