Key senators reach deal on subsidies

WASHINGTON — A pair of leading Republican and Democratic senators reached an agreement Tuesday to fund key federal health care subsidies that President Trump ended last week — and the president expressed support for the plan.

But it was unclear whether Senate GOP leaders would embrace the proposal, leaving its long-term prospects in doubt.

The compromise from Sens. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Patty Murray, D-Wash., would provide states with greater flexibility under the Affordable Care Act in exchange for authorizing cost-sharing reduction payments known as CSRs for two years. Those payments help offset deductibles and other out-ofpocket costs for lowincome consumers who obtain insurance under the Affordable Care Act.

The proposal would also allow insurers to offer catastrophic insurance plans to consumers age 30 and older on ACA exchanges, while maintaining a single risk pool.

“Yes, we have been involved, and this is a short-term deal because we think ultimately block grants going to the states is going to be the answer,” said Trump, referring to a Republican push to blockgrant health care funding individually to states. His comments came just days after he moved to end the payments and punt the issued to Congress.

Republican leaders did not immediate embrace the plan, raising new questions about whether it would find any traction.

“We haven’t had a chance to think about the way forward yet,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., at his weekly news conference, minutes after the deal was announced about 20 feet away outside a Republican policy luncheon.