Alexander, Murray announce deal on health subsidies
WASHINGTON Democratic and Republican leaders in the Senate announced they have reached a bipartisan deal to shore up the Affordable Care Act health insurance markets for two years while Congress continues to grapple with GOP efforts to replace the law.
Sens. Lamar Alexander, R- Tenn., and Patty Murray, D- Wash., the leaders of the Senate health committee, said Tuesday they have struck a deal for a twoyear extension of subsidies for insurance companies to cover low- income clients — subsidies that President Trump canceled last week.
Alexander told reporters the deal also would expand authority for states to experiment with alternative standards for insurance plans that deviate from federal requirements, but it would not do away with the requirement to cover people with pre- existing conditions. The deal would not eliminate so- called essential health benefits — such as mental health and maternity care — that insurance plans must cover.
Republican efforts to repeal Obamacare ran aground in part because of concerns of both Democrats and Republicans that these provisions would be eliminated.
The agreement would involve a twoyear extension of federal payments to insurers that Trump halted last week. Unless the money is quickly restored, insurers and others say that will result in higher premiums for people buying individual policies and in some carriers leaving unprofitable markets.
“Over the next two years, I think, Americans won’t have to worry about the price of health ( insurance) and being able to buy insurance in the counties where they live,” Alexander said. “This will allow the Senate to continue its debate about the long term of health care.”
Alexander and Murray have been working for weeks on health care legislation, separate from repeated and unsuccessful efforts by GOP leaders to dismantle former president Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R- Ky., said he does not yet have a timetable for bringing the bill to a vote on the Senate floor. “We haven’t had a chance to think about the way forward yet,” he told reporters.
In brief comments at the White House, Trump spoke favorably about the effort.
“It is a short- term solution so we don’t have this very dangerous little period,” the president said.
Murray and Alexander began talks on extending the payments months ago, when Trump was frequently threatening to stop the subsidies. Both had said they were close to a deal, but GOP leaders shut the effort down in September when the Senate revisited the Republican drive to repeal Obama’s law. The repeal effort failed, as did an earlier GOP attempt to dismantle the law in July.
Alexander said Trump has spoken to him twice in recent days to urge him to reach a deal with Murray.