Nevada’s Heller is fifth GOP senator to oppose health-care bill

Nearly immediately, the pro-Trump group America First Policies made a decision to launch what a source with the group says will be a major television, radio and digital ad buy against Heller – a remarkable attack on a member of Trump’s own party whose seat is endangered in 2018. But he said “it’s going to be very hard to get me to a “yes” on the bill. Out-of-pocket costs to cover insurance deductibles and co-payments would go up.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell released the long-awaited draft on Thursday.

The tax cuts are supposed to be financed by slashing health-care spending for people of limited means. Governors in states that expanded Medicaid are wary of a bill reveale.

Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst is suggesting Iowans would not be losing Medicaid coverage even as the Senate GOP health care bill would phase out financing to expand the low-income insurance program.

In addition, it calls for extra federal funding to be awarded to states for addiction and mental health treatment, services covered by Medicaid. Places a per-person limit on future federal contributions, starting in 2020.

Other than promising to repeal and replace Obamacare, Trump isn’t communicating the same sense of urgency as he did with the House’s health bill.

The problem our country has is how to help people who are in the lowest economic straits, who have the most health challenges, get access to affordable coverage and, indeed, get well.

Senate GOP bill: There is no penalty for having a break in coverage and no waiting period for consumers to use their insurance. But Margaret Sullivan, the media columnist for the Washington Post, argues that the issue is as much about placement and focus, or the lack thereof, and believes that much of the news media is “playing right into [McConnell’s] hands”.

What’s more, the Senate bill would provide less generous subsidies to older folks who are eligible for assistance.

Health-care advocacy groups on Thursday decried the cuts to Medicaid. However, the credits would require people to purchase a less comprehensive plan, and would not be available to as many low-income people, according to published reports. But bronze plans have an average deductible of almost $6,100. Aiming to stabilize the individual market in the near term, the Senate would allocate funds for the cost sharing subsidies until 2019.

Republicans countered that a more deliberative, bipartisan process would have been possible if Democrats had joined them in the push to end Obamacare. Former GOP Senate staffer Rodney Whitlock thinks the Senate bill will have to add something similar. By making that change, the near-elderly working poor would be able to afford coverage, and the poverty trap would be eliminated.

House GOP bill: Repeals coverage mandates immediately. The House and Senate formulas for subsidies differ. The bill faces some hurdles before it becomes law.

McCain told a town hall on Thursday that he wants to hear from Arizona health-care providers, legislators and Gov. Doug Ducey before he makes up his mind on the proposed bill.

House GOP bill: No additional money for the opioid epidemic. Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman had sought $45 billion over 10 years.

Tax boosts Obama levied on upper income people and medical industry companies would be repealed, and another on costly employer-provided health insurance would be delayed. “Cuts to Medicaid will lead to more asthma attacks”.

WASHINGTON (AP) – Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has finally unwrapped his plan for dismantling President Barack Obama’s health care law. They don’t like how expensive premiums have gotten.

Ironically, in the Senate and House bills getting rid of Medicaid expansion, the state would lose an additional $37 billion, compared to states that did the full expansion, he said. Like its counterpart in the House, the Senate plan would lower premiums for younger Americans by allowing insurers to charge older enrollees more. In that case, Senate leaders plan a workaround.