The
uncertainty surrounding Senate Republicans' latest repeal-and-replace bill is
putting more pressure on Democrats to reach a deal to stabilize the Affordable
Care Act.
Sens.
Lamar Alexander and Patty Murray have been working on a plan to tweak the ACA
through a mix of looser regulations and more reliable funding. And Alexander's
hand in those talks may be getting stronger as a side effect of the momentum
behind a repeal bill sponsored by Sens. Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy.
Why: Sens. Lisa Murkowski
and John McCain are publicly rooting for the stabilization effort to succeed,
and Graham-Cassidy can't pass without at least one of them.
·
Murkowski has actively participated in the four hearings the
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee has held on stabilization,
often staying longer than most other members.
·
On Sunday, McCain mentioned this effort by name on Face the
Nation, saying Republicans shouldn't "ram" their proposal through.
The
problem: While Democrats say the negotiations are going well and weekend
talks were "productive," per a Democratic aide, Republicans disagree.
"There's no deal, and one doesn't look imminent. If there's no deal, I
assume that means Republicans are going to flock to the only thing that's on
the table," a senior GOP aide told me.
Yes,
but: McCain and Murkowski could vote against
Cassidy-Graham-Heller-Johnson regardless. Both their states stand to lose under
the bill, according to an early analysis by
the left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. But it seems that if
what they've been calling for all along is within reach, it gives them a lot
more of an excuse to vote against a GOP-only bill.
Who we're
watching: Murray. If she can strike a deal with Alexander — which hinges
on giving states more flexibility through innovation waivers — it could deeply
influence McCain and Murkowski's decision.
No comments:
Post a Comment