The bipartisan proposed date came too late, after the premiums were set for 2018, and the marketplace for 2018 open enrollment started. Note that the open enrollment date on the California exchange begins in mid-October, not on November 1st, as it does for some non-exchange plans. I received an email indicating that premiums for this healthy individual were going up due to the federal government not paying cost-sharing monies to the states. The new premium, about 24% higher through Kaiser, amounts to about $10,000 per year for one person, paid, by the way, with after tax dollars. I do not get any premium or cost-sharing subsidies. My benefits, incidentally, were cut, all of them (401K, work supplies, education) when the ACA began. I can only work part-time due to a disability -- I went back to school after the injury, so I might contribute to society in some way. All part-time benefits were cut by the company. What could make this worse? Removal of the medical, local, and state tax deductions. Does the Trump government not see that their policies incent not purchasing health insurance, using the ER, and in fact, not working at all? I have an acquaintance, who is a multimillionaire, who chooses not to work, and indicated that the ACA has enabled her to have a $25 per month premium. She very well may pay more for Starbucks coffee than for insurance.
3
Ironic: The GOP is saving itself from certain defeat in 2018 by saving Trump supporters from themselves by seeking to restore the health care program that they voted to get rid of in 2016 and now desperately need. Unfortunately, what is also true is that nothing has changed otherwise for middle class voters who were allegedly "angry" when they went to the polls last year. The job market remains tight, there has been no increase in the minimum wage, jobs that were going to Mexico have either gone to Mexico or (like the Ford Focus plant) to China. Nothing positive has come their way in Michigan and Wisconsin, and the only thing that they wanted to get rid of they now realize they cannot do without. They were suckered by Donald, but income inequality has continued to grow, the GOP refuses to support an increase in the minimum wage while states on both coasts do, isolating people in the middle states and the South, embedding climate denial into federal policy by reversing protective regulations is proving a disaster, and the swamp has turned into quicksand. Who's ox is being gored? The Trump supporters whose votes swung the election, who didn't vote their own interests, and who, at long last, see that repeal and replace is unthinkable.
7
"2 Senators Strike Deal on Health Subsidies That Trump Cut Off"
Totally misleading headline. Trump cut off the subsidies because they were illegal, and urged Congress to fix the issue. Congress did.
Your headline is Fake News.
3
The "dangerous little period" for all of us is the next three years until Trump leaves office.
6
Call me cynical, but the Dems should have waited for the Chaos to kick in before riding to the rescue. They would have extracted more. This is why they lose, not because of Bernie Sanders. This kind of thing--the consequences of electing Donald Trump--has to happen to break the logjam and move the nation forward. This stop-gap measure kicks the can down the road and the GOP benefits most by avoiding chaos when they have most to lose in the midterm elections and they have no intention of fixing healthcare when the temporary funding runs out.
3
two years. time for midterms . yesterday, i received my insurance renewal letter, a 50% increase for a 1 person policy: $750 to $1200. it's a descent HIM policy that's worse than my spouse's Medicare advantage plan from AARP.
1
Something must happen and happen fast. I already received a notice that my bronze level insurance with $100 copays and $6500 deductible is going UP 40%! I don't qualify for any cost sharing reductions but I am far from wealthy. I am seriously considering not getting health insurance. And I am a breast cancer survivor.
3
I don't understand. The ACA requires insurers to spend at least 80% of premiums collected on benefits. If these insurers are suddenly making enormous profits from the ACA is the 80/20 rule being enforced? Also, if the ACA is such a gift to insurers and yet they are abandoning certain markets what is different about these markets? Are insurers required to off-set losses in one market with profits from another? Would it work to separate the country into regions and require insurers to offer coverage in all markets within any region in which they are active?
Why can't this be figured out and why can't we voters insist that any politician who wants to serve make healthcare a priority?
4
Yes bipartisanship is good. But I keep thinking we are being held hostage by insurance companies (who's profits are skyrocketing, by the way). How much more money do we have to pour into the insurance industry to keep avoiding the 'death spiral'?
2
It seems a little odd that two Senators can make headlines by doing what they were elected to do. All through grade school and high school I was taught that the Senate and the House were the place where differing viewpoints were discussed and debated until a compromise solution could be reached. We haven't heard sane discussion in a very long time. Let's hope this is the beginning of a trend.
A small disagreement did pop up. Mr. Alexander said "This takes care of the next two years. After that, we can have a full-fledged debate on where we go long-term on health care." I would suggest that a better course might be to use the two years to work out a complete plan on where we go. It might make the process a bit smoother.
2
It would seem that Congress absolutely must put some kind of cap on the presidential use of executive orders, not just for this president but for all of them. In recent years there has been a power shift in Washington. Congress has lost much of the power it rightly should have to presidents who more and more behave as Dictators! This tendency is undemocratic in the extreme and very very dangerous to our country. What gives?
1
Short term fixes? Why can't congress get it right if they don't like ACA. Trump wants to repeal it because all he is interested in is himself and trying to get reelected to cause more world chaos.
1
This is a "solution" clearly intended to get senators through the next election cycle with their jobs intact.
1
Show me an agreement that's bicameral as well as bipartisan, and only then will there be something to talk about. But this is filler. And that's the printable description.
1
Its funny how the Republican mantra has changed from Repaling and replaceing the ACA with a better plan to just repealing and replacing Obamacare at any cost regardless of whether its is better or not for the citizens of this nation and in reality hurting the Trump base dis-proportionately hard
1
Insurers and doctors
require a nation of sick people so they
can continue to milk the population,
which has all its focus and energy sapped by politics and entertainment,
instead of working on getting off this
dated biological platform that has very little future on the planet.
1
What a difference 18 hours makes.
Trump is for it, Trump is sorta for it, Trump is backing off, Trump is opposed.
Lesson for GOP - he will never have your back. He only cares about one person.
And further, GOP leadership will never support a deal to help Americans maintain quality coverage, when it is painfully obvious all they want to do is inflict pain.
4
Hooray for our legislators reaching across the aisle to provide a band-aid for this cannonball sized wound. Trump lied about providing "beautiful" healthcare that would cost less and provide more. Trump failed to provide any such plan, lacking the attention span it would take to achieve it. Trump is a failure at everything except arm twisting weaklings.
The only way to provide lower cost healthcare coverage is to take the profit out of it. Failing that, nothing will change. And given the way voters, both real and potential, can be swayed, nothing will change.
Our devotion to the myth of "free" markets and to profit, will fill our country with the lamed and the dying.
3
Was not expecting the President to be a rational voice on anything but admittedly he has helped forge a middle ground solution.
2
Trump had zero to do with Murray's and Alexander's work, and actually screamed against such a compromise at every turn.
Nor is their "solution," even out of committee yet, let alone passed by either House, let alone signed into law.
1
Trump calls sustaining CSRs a bailout for insurance companies.
The Trump tax legislation is a bailout for billionaires.
9
“It’ll get us over this intermediate hump,” the president said at a Rose Garden news conference, describing it as “a short-term solution so that we don’t have this very dangerous little period.”
He was of course talking about his Presidency, a; very dangerous little period, indeed.
6
Trump has figured out how to get congress to act.
2
Except Congress hasn't.
This is two senators on a committee who were working before Trump shot his mouth off. The committee hasn't voted, or the Senate, let alone the House.
Meanwhile, the Republicans are letting S-CHIP lapse. You got kids, by any chance?
4
This is still a bill not an act. Wait until the bill becomes an act before celebrating bipartisan agreement.
5
It sure didn't last long before being shot down by the Republican leadership. They're caught flat footed by one of their own suggesting that they actually do something. "What you mean the purpose of this job isn't just to get re-elected and say no?" What now?
6
"Without them, insurance companies said, insurance company executives would have to forgo their Christmas vacations in the Hamptons."
Just to put things in the proper perspective.
Two days ago Mr. Trump announced his plan to eliminate health insurance subsidies, but yesterday he whipsaws around and supports continuation of these subsidies as proposed in the Lamar-Murray plan. Mr. Tillerson was incorrect when he called Mr. Trump a moron (by definition a moron has an IQ of less than 70); rather our president is an intelligent man who is ignorant and clueless about the issues and the way forward on both crucial domestic and foreign policy matters.
This past Thursday I returned to the U.S. from a two week cruise of the Mediterranean, and I asked over twenty individuals from countries all over the world their opinion of Mr. Trump. Without exception they expressed very negative views about our president, ranging from laughter and disbelief to dismay and anger. In the words of Alfred Vail "'What hath God wrought?"
1
"It'll get us over this intermediate hump". That's a hump that YOU created Trump!
"This very dangerous little period" was created by YOU Trump! My god this man is brain dead.
3
CLAIRE....How can keeping insurance companies happy, with billions in guaranteed subsidies.... (over choosing the logical and universally used,government operated Medicare single payer health care system.....operating successfully with a ready made structure).....be considered an "achievement in bipartisanship"......Its a demonstration of bi-partisanship in support of a "quick and temporary guarantee to the insurance industry bottom line.
REAL bi-partinsanship would be cooperation by congressional members of both parties(who represent people and not corporations).........to agree and act on Trumps continuing destruction of US government agencies and policies ,on behalf of the" corporotocracy" of the 1%.......based on the fraudulent "trickle down" and supply side system of economics.......which only perpetuates (the " upward vacuum" effect) sucking wealth to the top and eventually the 1%elite !..........................And where is political"bi-partisanship" on Don the Cons nuclear option brinksmanship....... a threat to life itself ???
1
Still first and foremost about killing the ACA at all costs.
The so called bipartisan deal is a stop gap bandaid on the sucking chest wound that is the atrocious state of American healthcare policy.
Almost a year into Trump-A-Tapia and still nothing in the way of a comprehensive solution to runaway healthcare costs and a grievously dysfunctional health insurance market place.
2
In January of this year, such a bipartisan dream couldn't even be thought of. Congress was useless when it came to meaningful results. Even after Schumer and Pelosi met with Trump and he said he would sign a bill to take care of the Dreamers, nothing happened. Trump is now taking things in his own hands. He removes the subsidies and a deal is made in the senate within days. If Schumer and Pelosi had kept their part of the bargain concerning the Dreamers, it would have been a done deed. Now Trump has raised the anti. Congress has to begin to act together or he will keep tearing the ACA apart until it is meaningless. This bipartisan cooperation has to take place to correct the problems in the ACA to improve it. Premiums for 2018 are going up 8% and in some areas about 40%, Deductibles are climbing. This is an opportunity to work on the problem we know are there and improve the ACA. All they have done the last few years are sound bytes and complaining. If Trump it what it take to accomplish bipartisan agreements, so be it.
2
2 senators reached a deal and we are all hoping that the rest of the senate and the majority of the House will buy in?
How does it help to kick the ball down the road to be dealt with another day?
In NH, with the subsidies intact, the premiums projected to rise 47%. Without subsidies reimbursement to the insurers, the rise is projected to be 55%.
So, even with the subsidies intact, many markets are going to face unbearable premium increases.
Obamacare is irredeemably hopelessly doomed to failure.
4
Oh, and by the way...those possible increases amount to about $100 at worst, with one insurer saying a 0.37% increase, they're in Medicaid, and every insurer says that the primary reason is the chaos that Trump's government has created.
Your cherrypicked your state because it was featured on various right-wing news outlets, then chopped out the numbers and the explanations for the numbers.
1
Is there going to be a point at which you guys report real numbers honestly, and don't cherry-pick?
It seems to me that after the Trump administration began "fixing" the Affordable Care Act, in a distinct effort to weaken coverage, it became "Trumpcare". Whatever changes made were in the hands of Trump; therefore, he "owns" the mess healthcare is in at the present moment.
3
There is one simple way Republicans might be persuaded to vote for this clever bipartisan boost to Obamacare. Call it by it's legal name, the Affordable Care Act. Removing the name Obama (the name that triggered habitual automatic hatred and just-say-no obstruction for eight years) might sufficiently clear their mind from that obnoxious negative reaction so they can do what's right and place the welfare of people over party.
4
“In my view, this agreement avoids chaos and I don’t know a Democrat or a Republican who benefits from chaos." ~ Lamar Alexander
That comment gave me pause.
Actually Lamar, I tend to think that "REPUBLICANS" are benefiting from chaos and will continue to do so. It is nice to think that we have turned the corner, especially since we are entering the colder months of the year and some people have to worry about heat and but I for one, am not holding my breath.
4
No to more advertising spending, only people without a connection to reality don't know about the ACA and if they need help charity can take care of that. And I want full time to be 40 hours not 30. You can't give this money without getting some decent reforms on those things that are bad for our country.
Its people with no connection to the Internet, who perhaps don't own a PC, maybe they are sick, so even if they have heard of ACA they don't know how to sign up. No thank you, they don't want "charity." It is not "bad" for the country that people who are sick get medical attention and stay out of the ER where the public tab gets really high.
2
It's sad that health care policy in the US comes down to whatever will most please the insurance companies and drug companies, some of which are publicly held (and whose hunger for profit is therefore never satisfied). I wish someone like Atul Gawande, MD, were in charge and leading a team that would assemble best practices for providing the care that people need at a price the country can afford. Keeping insurers healthy shouldn't be the top priority.
3
With the approval rating at 7% (who are these people?) by at least one source perhaps it would be worth the money to have congress just sit down and shut up.
3
Now, two years, forever, whatever the duration, the key to this healthcare mess continues to be that, at base, there are two starkly different views at play. Some, me included, believe any health care plan should be grounded in universality, whereas the others do not, For the sake of optics the latter fake it by touting free "access", which, of course, we've always had. What that means is obvious to all; it means that one has "access" to all the health care s/he can afford, in short, let-them-eat-cake healthcare.
1
I would like to believe that Sen. Murray has good intentions, but Democrats come out of negotiations with crumbs, really just a vale to cover up to have been had. They are suckers, if Fake president Trump thinks it is a good SHORT term SOLUTION it is bad for the nation and helps Trump to get over a pump on his road of destruction.
3
Trump loves chaos and benefits from it. The Congress that continues to support him should be replaced. If Americans can't do that in 2018 we will have to admit, America never was great nor will it ever be. Under Trump we have become the country of fear and hatred, greed and corruption, thieving and dishonest Americans who elected a lying crook to be President, and a Koch/Mercer approved and funded Congress. That is what we are now. Up next: A huge tax cut for rich people by Christmas.
2
Go read the actual text of the bill on the Library of Congress research web-site, http://thomas.loc.gov.
"Yup, there it is," just like it was on the very first bill that Ryan introduced at the start of the session: a multi-billion dollar giveaway of public money to the supposedly "for-profit" insurance companies.
It is quite easy to see why Lamar Alexander (TN) is in favor of this: just look at the "crystal palace" which Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee has built on Cameron Hill overlooking Chattanooga! Oh yeah, and isn't this the same company that cut-off insurance coverage for two-thirds of the state?
Money won't solve the fundamental problems of the very concept(!) of "for profit" health care. Health care cannot be provided for profit, nor paid-for profitably. We should not keep feeding hay to this dead horse: we should replace it with a publicly-funded system that actually provides health care to everyone.
Health Care is an inalienable human right: the right to Life.
3
Universal coverage is fine in principle, but not practical at this moment in time when the structure of the existing system is under attack. Your slur against Sen. Alexander is unwarranted. As a Washingtonian, I have full confidence in the good intentions of Sen. Murray and Alexander.
1
Members of the House of Representatives and Senators should be offered the same health care options the rest of America has.
3
If Trump really wanted health care policies that cross state lines, are affordable, provide good coverage and don't enrich insurance companies, he would support Medicare for all. Covers all of the US, covers hospitalization, negotiates favorable rates with health care providers, and .... is paid for by taxes on earnings. It also offers tiers of additional coverage, including no additional coverage. What could be better? Think about it.
5
It is time we address the problem, not treat the symptom. This simply treats the symptom and kicks the can down the road.
We need a single payer system, and we need to do it now. The longer we draw out the insurance based market (if that is what you call a market) the deeper the pain will be when it comes time to change.
A single payer system would be much more efficient, equalitarian and cost efficient. It would server the public good in better ways and no one would lose their lifetime worth of assets because of one healthcare misfortune.
It is time the US got with the program, following every single first world nation on this planet, and set up a system so every citizen is covered, regardless.
Time to bring humanity to the health insurance system of the US.
5
Even if what you say is true, it isn't going to happen in 2017 under Republican leadership. What will happen is that the ACA will be killed by intentional and unintentional efforts of our "leaders" who will then blame Obama for their failure and the loss of existing health care to millions of Americans. Is that what we want? I don't think so.
Trump sold himself as a novice politician but since descending the golden escalator in June of 2015 to announce his candidacy he's acted as a master political hack. Everything out of his mouth is a political jab, with little other substance. Everything is either "terrific" or "a disaster" and he can't get through a statement without trashing past leaders, blaming them for the mess that only he can fix. Were he truly a populist healer, he would have commandeered a bi partisan fix to the ACA and saved us from months of counter-productive Congressional acrimony that has cost millions. Sadly this man knows no other means of communication, more suited to World Wide Wrestling promotion than being a president.
3
We need to be clear about the difference between "health insurance" and "health care" and we need to start talking more about the medical-industrial complex. Health insurance is a for-profit industry, as are Big Pharma, makers of medical supplies and devices, and some health care systems. Most community hospitals are non-profit and have to care for any one who shows up at their door, regardless of ability to pay. Patients admitted to the hospital get the same care whether they have insurance or not. So while community hospitals (and paying patients) are taking the hit for those without insurance, insurance companies are posting big profits. Something is very wrong here.
4
Six Hundred Ninety Seven dollars is the price of a small canister of cream the podiatrist ordered for my sore bunion. The drug company called to make sure I was going to need more. Yeah!! at that price I'm sure they would want me to use it forever. I told them no more. That is one thing individuals can do to curb the outrageous price of a drug. Just say no. When you get your medicare summary of Part D drugs pay attention to what your insurance is paying. I can use an OTC medication that might cost a few dollars. If I had noticed the cost at first I wouldn't have let them refill it a couple more times.
1
If we had single payer small business and entrepreneurship would blossom. Healthcare is a major cost for them.
4
This episode is a reminder that we need more discussion of suicide as a tool for retirement and estate planning. Don't let overpriced hospitals or retirement warehouses get your money.
2
This is only a band-aid on a healthcare law that has turned our healthcare system into a total mess over the last 5 years. I should know-as a physician I deal with the insane beauracratic whack-a-mole requirements in Obamacare everyday (e.g. I have to sign my name 7 times on each page of my anesthesia record or Medicare now will not pay me, regardless of the quality of my care). This albatross that has caused insurance premiums to skyrocket and physicians to leave medicine prematurely has to go. Liberals are holding onto it like a rabid dog, but all that is doing is making our care in this country worse. Obamacare has to go.
3
Thank you for your service to the medical practice, and I am sorry for the inconveniences. But you must know that all of the signatures you are forced to sign are probably there because of pressure on the people who wrote the legislation to ensure that public money was spent wisely. Fully private healthcare would be great. Just not affordable to most Americans with little spare money. We all remember what health care / insurance was like before ACA and don't want to go back. Fix the obvious flaws and let's move forward.
2
Too little, too late. And again, the Democrats throw their constituents under the bus giving the Confederacy the right to modify Obamacare under the guise of "State Rights".
5
In 2016, U.S. District Judge Rosemary M. Collyer ruled that the transfer of funds from the Treasury to subsidize insurance companies for losses incurred in the ACA markets was unconstitutional because the House of Representatives never appropriated the money. She ordered the Obama administration to stop the transfers, but granted an abeyance to give the Justice Department time to appeal. Now the Justice Department has decided not to appeal. Last week it sent a memo to the White House advising it to comply with the court order. The president responded by announcing he would stop the subsidy payments. The purpose of the proposed compromise introduced by Senator Alexander and Senator Murray is to persuade the House to appropriate the funds, thus making the subsidy payment constitutional.
4
Trump’s followers will give him all the credit.
1
"I don’t know a Democrat or a Republican who benefits from chaos."
Really? I can think of one.
15
Look for Republicans to take another rip at the ACHA following the 2018 elections. If the Dems lay another egg in the 2018 midterms it will be lights out on the ACHA and Medicaid.
2
Chaos is a ladder.
2
Typical Trump move. In a matter of hours called it a " very good solution" that would provide time for him to get rid of the ACA. He said that the WH was involved in this compromise and appeared to be satisfied. Last night , in a speech to the Heritage Foundation he said " “while I commend” the work by the two senators, “I continue to believe Congress must find a solution to the Obamacare mess instead of providing bailouts to insurance companies.”
Anyone who trusts Trump od believes him is a sucker
3
“This takes care of the next two years,” Mr. Alexander said. “After that, we can have a full-fledged debate on where we go long-term on health care. The only reason there has not been a full-fledged debate on the ACA is that the Republicans have (unsuccessfully) tried to push through two bills without benefit of debate. Now suddenly there will be a full-fledged debate? Will that be before or after the Republicans lose the majorities they have in both houses? As for the Liar in Chief's supporters who think it is Washington insiders who are causing the turmoil, I just really wonder how they can be so blind, deaf and dumb (to their own self interests).
5
Besides skimming money, remind me again what role the insurance company plays in the transactions between me and my doctor?
SINGLE PAYER NOW!
13
I'm most concerned that Trump cut the subsidies off just in time for the insurance companies' deadline to set premiums for the next fiscal year, so they're already set at prices without the subsidies included (which raises them TREMENDOUSLY). It might be too late to rescind that, so in that event this "deal" won't do anything for us for at least another year.
I'm also extremely concerned for this limbo it puts all healthcare professionals in.. they're confused as to what is going on, they are supposed to advise patients and they can't even give them a clear answer, because it changes day to day. We need to have a decisive government who can make a plan and stick to it. It is terrifying to think our officials right now are so irresponsible, they're putting their constituents at risk - while they themselves are guaranteed the best healthcare of all no matter what for the rest of their lives.
Think about how unfair and unjust that truly is, and then celebrate 2 elected officials agreeing that the people counting on them shouldn't have to pay absurd amounts of money for less coverage with lower quality. That simply is disgraceful.
The next time a republican argues that not everyone deserves healthcare, we should argue not to have to pay for their coverage, because they too are taking a "government hand-out".
5
Trump followed the law in cancelling the illegal subsidies and he's following the law again by working with a bipartisan coalition in the Senate.
This is good. Two years gives both sides ample time to come up something by the next window for dealing with HealthCare - which will be just after the 2018 election.
2
The normal reaction to this bipartisan outbreak would be one of pessimism, given all we've seen over the past decade. But I hope that is wrong. As some point most logjams break.
One wonders if this plan can be given the room to develop, or whether an odd coalition of forces--the guy in the White House, our intrusive (not always a negative) press, the "Freedom" Caucus, and rabid single-payer advocates--will halt movement.
This is what it's come to: A bomb throwing president who threatens sabotage and destruction of people's lives and a Congress that then feels compelled to act in order to minimize the damage. No leadership to be found anywhere.
I suppose there's some small consolation to be found in seeing a Democrat actually working with a Republican, and this solution is certainly better than what Congress usually does, which is absolutely nothing. But there's also a sense of missed opportunity. Instead of working to improve the ACA and correct its problems, all energy is directed toward stop-gap measures that do little more than fend off Trump's destructive bent, the "ObamaCare death spiral" canard, the 7 Year Promise, and a suddenly silent Senate Majority leader.
This is what passes for progress these days.
2
If we can't have medicare for all, then there at least needs to be a public option, at least for those counties that have only one insurer. Those insurers have the means to respond to competition: as some commentators state, some of them have record profits and their CEOs are making tens of millions of dollars in compensation.
2
Those subsidies were illegal, so it makes sense for Congress to act. It has to clean up the situation that Obama, not Trump, created.
2
Illegal? According to who? Don is the plaintiff in a lawsuit filed against then-President Obama, and that lawsuit hasn't been settled.
Honestly, it's hard to fathom the energy conservatives put into punishing people just for the sake of it.
2
Curious... will anyone on the left acknowledge:
1. The subsidy payments to the insurance companies were ruled unconstitutional by the courts and Trump merely placed the funding responsibility back on Congress where it belongs?
2. Very early on in the process, the insurance companies struck a deal with the Obama administration to achieve their goal of universal healthcare (which has failed so far) in exchange for record profit abilities and unfettered premium increases to the ignorant public?
3. Acknowledge the irony of accepting and promoting corporate welfare in order to achieve an end goal of universal healthcare?
1
As soon as you acknowledge Hoover, McCarthy, Nixon, Bush II
1
This is why Democrats lose elections. There they go again, helping Republicans out of their big mess. The NY Times just said a couple of days ago "Republican now own health care." Let them own it. Remember when Republicans spent 8 years doing everything they could to undermine Obama? What did they get for it. The White house, Supreme Court and both houses of congress. So now Trump will be able to crow about his "Big Win" and his followers who desperately need health insurance will see "See he made America Great again" and vote for him again. (and he will win).
If Democrats do nothing Republicans would eventually fold and keep the ACA in place to save their butts at the polls. No need to worry about that now. Great work Dems.
6
What a waste of time, money, and energy, when we could be working on getting everyone covered by Medicare.
Instead, Congress just jury-rigs some more bits and pieces, patching together the Frankenstein monster that is the ACA.
Scrap it and socialize healthcare. The entire country will be better off, and we will wonder why we wasted so much time resisting a system that works for every other civilized nation on the planet.
3
I hope they close the coverage/subsidies gap for those states that didn't expand Medicaid.
2
It will be encouraging if this bipartisan temporary solution is passed, but having a proposal is healthy first step. Where is the President on this really, he caused this problem when he decided to cut what he called "massive subsidy payments to their pet insurance companies." Now he says he will be fine with those subsidies. Which personality is in charge of the oval office?
Two things that are clear: he did not have his promised health care plan that would be cheaper, offer better coverage and leave no one out; and the Republican's unwillingness to work with Democrats for eight plus years resulted in confusion and uncertainty, which translated in higher costs to consumers. I hope this fix will pass, and that a long term commitment to following the regular order of hearings and meetings will resume in the Senate.
Why are for profit insurance companies getting subsidies to begin with? Why isn't the health insurance industry regulated just like your heat, electric utilities? The health insurance industry doesn't even provide HEALTH CARE - just insurance!
Kaiser is a non profit insurer - perhaps that is how these companies should be run.
Medicare for all!
2
So why in the world are we waiting to have any kind of conversation about healthcare?!?!
Starting the conversation NOW will set the foundation for what we do in the future. It took us years to debate the details of the ACA and deals involving people’s lives cannot be rushed.
Cynical thought: are we waiting to see who survives midterm elections, or perhaps the next presidential election? You know who will take credit for saving the ACA even though he’s trying to kill it, right?
1
Sad to say that so much of this is politics and not caring for sick people.
I'm encouraged because these Senators would not announce a deal unless they thought it would get 60 votes. Surely that means that Collins, Murkowski, McCain and Alexander are yesses, all the Dems, then 8 more GOP.
Fragmenting the right wingers is key to acceptance. The House? Having them vote on it will remove 40 to 50 extremist GOP during the 2018 midterms.
4
Can't we just get rid of insurance companies? Outlaw them? Shoot on site anyone selling a policy. Its greed! Pure and simple greed! Insurance companies should not be allowed to hold the american taxpayer hostage at gunpoint.
Get rid of them and everyone who pays goes into a plan they can afford mandated by the Gov. Not socialism because we have more poor people in this country than rich and the system would implode. Only the people who CAN PAY! The rest? well sorry about your luck!
4
I read this and picture the scene of all parties involved picking over the cooling carcass of the health of the American people: Here’s a large piece for Big Pharma, medical device manufacturers, and others in the “provider” business who care far less about providing than stealing as much as they can from the health care pot and who have blessedly avoided too much scrutiny in the fight over who’s going to pay for their ridiculously costly “care.” Here’s a great big chunk for insurers, who know sooner or later the con game will be up for them and they’ll no longer have a prime seat at the feast. Here’s an enormous bite for Trump, whose tender ego demands that he and his big white horse be first in line to get what they need - the spotlight, oblivious uncritical adulation, and no one looking at all the absurdly contradictory positions and actions he’s taken. And here we have the mighty ruling Republicans, who, just like Trump, have completely and deliberately blanked that the health and welfare of the American people are the real subject at hand. If they can say they’ve “repealed and replaced” President Obama’s legacy achievement, their precious campaign contributions and their voters’ loyalty will be preserved, and the voices of the sick and dying Americans that result will be drowned out in the great chorus of hallelujahs they fully expect to hear. Ordinary Americans will get whatever puny scraps are left over after all the really important folks have gorged their fill.
12
Trump cuts subsidies, Murray and Alexander restore them and Trump then declares he supports their effort.
Do we now add multiple personality disorder to the list of mental disabilities Trump, and indirectly the rest of us, suffer from?
18
Trump's decision to end ACA subsidies for poor and older Americans was not an attempt at bipartisanship. Far from it. It was an act of political terrorism. He used these people as hostages in order to get a "win." The outrage to Trump's callous deed sparked this bipartisan action. Trump wasted no time jumping on the bandwagon, hoping to avoid further scorn. Anyone who believes this bipartisanship was Trump's original intent got conned.
10
I would love all those young and even older people who think they don't need health insurance, who think buying a catastrophic policy because it's cheap will suffice, visit a busy oncology clinic in any major hospital. Inhabiting those waiting rooms are children, young adults, and all manner of human beings of all ages. Cancer is an equal opportunity enemy. Healthy today; on death's doorstep tomorrow. Yet, these are the same people who will be screaming for top notch care when their number comes up.
A two-year reprieve is just kicking the can and that's all Trump cares about--here's a win--and we can discuss a permanent solution later. What's going to change later?
Anyone notice UHC's earnings yesterday? Or the bonus their CEO will be paid on top of his astronomical salary? Cry me not a river for health insurance companies. Just get them out of my pocket.
14
This article reads, "A leading conservative in the House, Mark Walker...". The Mark Walker who has called for bombing Mexico? The Mark Walker who identifies homosexuality as the biggest issue in the world today?That Mark Walker is a key leader in the House? The Republican leadership pool must be more shallow than President Trump's understanding of......everything.
23
To all those thanking Trump for this: If the Nation mitigates the crazy actions of a crazy guy, credit goes to the Nation, not the crazy guy.
11
Funny what two people can do when not engaged in self-dealing, theft, greed, inciting racism, homophobia , and selling out the country to Russia.
12
It's absolutely disgusting and an indictment of the kind of society we have become that people are actually arguing that Trump using people's health as a bargaining chip is somehow acceptable. Absolutely disgusting. The Democratic Party, for all its faults, did not bring us to this point. It was and is Republicans that are responsible for this mess. And, unbelievably, Trump is not the worst of America, because he somehow has managed to drag the rest of us down to his level by holding our healthcare hostage. What a disaster.
16
Is anyone else sick and tired of Trump's routine of making catastrophic threats in order to placate his base, only to either back off or let Congress or his staff clean up the mess he created once the furor dies down? It's ridiculous, and so is the man who is supposed to be leading our country instead of focusing on keeping his campaign going. Enough, already.
14
No, but sick of all your complaining. This is so typical of his critics: Ignore the fact that Obama's subsidies were found to be illegal. Blame Trump for ending them.
Obama left a health insurance mess, folks. Republicans, specifically, Trump was elected to do something about it.
1
I thank you for doing the right thing in dismantling the AFCA. I hope with the new discovery nothing should prevent its dismantlement
1
Well, today my wife and I received notice of next year's health insurance premium. I'm not too worried for myself...my medicare supplement with Blue Cross went from $74.80 to about $115.00 per month...a rising cost blamed on Obamacare. My wife, who is 62 and has almost never used insurance, saw her cost rise from $606 to over $1140 per month, and the deductible from $2740 annually to over $6600! This is ridiculous. How does anyone think this is fair or "affordable." We need single payer and we need it badly. The insurance companies are scamming the public...the CEO's are making millions of dollars....and you better believe they are able to make huge donations to politicians in the states and Washington to stay in charge. Healthcare should not be a path to make millionaires out of anyone!
14
Baby steps! That seems to be what we need.Fix the problems one step at a time.
1
What about CHIP? The Children's Health Insurance Program that the Republicans let expire?
How come the press isn't doing anything to help that cause.? Parents are scared to almost death.
Time to call upon Jimmy Kimmel and get some publicity!
10
Why should Trumo get any positive credit for driving Congress to enact a solution to a problem that he created?
12
This deal was yet another ripoff of the health insurance companies. Most of the health insurance corporations still in the exchanges have already anticipated the end of their subsidies for 2018. They are just using this opportunity to make another killing at government's expense.
2
OK....but "If the cost-sharing payments were cut off and premiums increased, many low-income people would receive more financial assistance, in the form of larger tax credits, to help pay the higher premiums."...If a person is in a "low-income" bracket, exactly how would a "tax credit" work if there is little income in the first place against which to take the tax credit? Taking a credit also means that people have to itemize their deductions. This provision sounds like doublespeak with the end result being people ultimately loosing their health insurance because they cannot pay the premiums. I would think that an effective policy is to provide low-income people the cash subsidy in order to pay premiums. A credit will not work.
7
Patty Murray was apparently clueless about how health insurance works, about how businesses work, and voted for Obamacare thinking it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Since she was clearly completely stupid about this, her thoughts are worthless and should be denounced by anyone with an ounce of brains - something she clearly lacks.
Lamar Alexander at least had the brains to vote against Obamacare, but he too clearly doesn't understand health insurance or businesses, because subsidizing them is a boondoggle, a money pit, and a complete waste of tax revenues. I'd love to believe that Republicans are more intelligent than Democrats regarding businesses, but it's clearly not the case here. So his thoughts should be denounced as well.
Subsidies are an attempt by losers to get something for nothing. Wine and dine your favorite Legislative Leper, and taxpayers will send you cash - taking it away from people who earn it, and giving it to people who don't.
Throw them all out.
2
Short-term solution to the latest tantrum from the adult day care center.
10
Is this a joke? Yeah I guess so, on all Americans except the 1%ers and the senators and congress ( who, by the way, get free health care ) say it with me now: Single. Payer. System. It's what all Americans want and need
13
i cant find the story in todays paper about the vile way trump treated that mom of the deceased soldier 'he knows what he signed up for.'
this monster must be impeached and put out to pasture.
to show no compassion in this circumstance is unforgivable.
6
All this does is delays the impact of Trump's attacks. The impacts could have helped change seats in Congress, and once again, Democrats being the good guys have been suckered and they have saved some Republicans congressional seats, and maybe some in the Senate as well. Stupid as usual. Democrats do not have what it takes to play down and dirty with the extremist Republicans. Continues to be sad for them. They have allowed substances to continue, while delaying the dreadful Trumpcare!
1
“This takes care of the next two years,” Mr. Alexander said. “After that, we can have a full-fledged debate on where we go long-term on health care.”
So, the full-fledged debate doesn't start until the next two years is over. Don't they learn? The GOP had all those Obama years to figure out a health plan they liked, and now, they say they'll start the debate after yet another two years. Clearly, they have no idea what to do, and they don't seem to be getting any closer to figuring it out.
7
The legislators who believe that US healthcare policies must be built around “choice” and “free market” principles should make it possible for citizens of any age, income or health to buy into Medicaid. Let’s see what “choice” citizens would actually make, given the opportunity, and how well for-profit insurers can really compete with Medicaid.
7
I have such mixed feelings over this. I appreciate there would be a lot of collateral damage among people who didn't vote for this tool if they do proceed with ACA repeal. However, I honestly think the people who did fall for him – and continue to support him despite it being crystal clear that he could not care less about them if he tried – will only realize what they've done if they lose their health insurance.
4
The subsidies were not part of the Obamacare law but subsidies given by the government illegally by the Obama administration. President Obama had no power or authorization to allow them. If lawmakers want to make them part of the law than let them.
1
Surprisingly no mention of the fact that they were judged to be illegal. Another Obama misguided action for which Trump is being blamed.
Max Tillerson, for all his obvious deficiencies, was right about one thing. That much cannot be disputed.
1
Trump played his cards brilliantly to save our health care system by lighting a crisis fire to motivate Congress. These subsidies were ruled illegal by a federal judge because Obama does not have the keys to the money safe...Congress does. Not giving President Trump the credit he deserves is par for the course.
2
It is a short term solution to a problem that ONLY exists because of his attempted sabotage. Millions of Americans will be denied insurance, thousands will die, the economy will nosedive, and everyone else will pay through the nose without this "short term solution"
Trump should stop whining. He knew what he signed up for.
1
"45" wants to have it both ways. He insists to his "base" that he will destroy the ACA, which has helped tens of millions get insurance, At the same time, he wants to give the appearance of working with both Democrats and Republicans.
HIs base is shrinking, as he has done nothing but criticize Dems (he used to be one) and Republicans. The only way that anything will be done is for Congress to do it. This president has no concern for anyone but himself. He will try to claim credit for getting the parties to work together.
2
The real problem is having a healthcare system based on a for-profit foundation. Why is insurance industry involved with healthcare at all? They add 19% to 22% to the cost of doing business and do nothing to improve service. Medicare costs 1% to 2%. Instead of profits for shareholders, we should reinvest all income after expenses back into the system. The model is flawed. We must put the health of the nation's citizens first.
4
What about children's health care, that JUST EXPIRED, being funded? This is but a small step in the right direction.
What happens if Murray and Alexander get sick? Does nothing happen ?
1
In my point of view, this is the a good couple of savers. They've avoid all these 'true words', and they're really trying to continue our health culture. THANK YOU!
I had a back and forth in the comments section with another Times reader the other day when Trump announced cutting the subsidies. The readers argument was he had no choice as the subsidies are unconstitutional. I argued that it was unconstitutional only because congress refused to fund them. Amazing what can happen in two days.
2
A federal judge ruled that the subsidies were unconstitutional since the funding was not approved in the Obamacare bill - Therefore, Trump had no choice but to stop making the payments and ask congress to deal with it - Looks like Trump actually did the right thing here - Perhaps if democrats hadn't rushed Obamacare through congress and actually read the bill before voting we wouldn't even be dealing with this issue
2
Perhaps if everyone -- including the legislators -- started calling the Affordable Care Act by its proper name, Mr. Trump might be able to work on improving our health care system for all Americans instead of spitefully working to obliterate everything that President Obama accomplished. As I used to tell my 11-year-old students, saying "yes" is at least as powerful as saying "no."
2
Admirable efforts, but Trump's damage to the ACA is fatal and I don't believe that the Alexander/Murray bill will survive in the House.
Today the demagogue Trump is for it, tomorrow he may be against it. He will say and do anything to make himself look good whether it is killing ACA or saving it.
Better late than never but kudos to republicans like Murkowski, Collins, McCain, Alexander etc and like house members who put people over party by saving ACA.
2
Wow, just imagine what could get done if bipartisanship ruled?!
Any agreement on increasing the HSA limits in this deal?
And for all the GOP griping and fist pounding, they still haven’t been able to produce a piece of legislation to repeal, replace, or re-anything the ACA.
The party of no could have all become doctors in the time they’ve wasted crying like babies about the ACA, instead of actually working to find a solution.
3
I agree with anyone who in these comments says that the Republicans will use this fix as a way to fend off a midterm voter rebellion. The Democrats are being empathetic while the Republicans are thinking nothing more than getting elected.
Someone has caught Trumps ear at least for the moment with the message you have two years now to tell your base how you have saved them from the failing Obamacare, while you sharpen the axe.
1
Let's hope this tid-bit of cooperation between (Rs) and (Ds) acts as the turnkey that opens the Flood Gates to more (PEOPLE FIRST) action by our elected Representatives!
Party before People and Country, is a stain on Democracy. Civil Society demands compromise and cooperation.
1
Perhaps, as with sexual harassment, we are reaching a tipping point on healthcare. Isn't this one issue that Democrats and Republicans can agree on, and get mad about? Other countries don't have 80% coverage - they have 100% coverage, doughnut holes, co-pays, and all these other dances around BIG business. They have healthcare. Plain and simple. Cradle to grave. And the don't have the kind of rabid, greedy obscenities that we call Big Pharma and Big Insurance. How many "adjustments," compromises, delayed plans, addenda, do we have to go through to make them happy? How many families have to lose their homes, lose their life savings or simply not go to a hospital, simply because the Monster of the pharmaceutical companies and the insurance companies will not stop till we're all dead and they're richer than Croesus. Tell the Senate and the House to stand up, grow up, and give us the health care we deserve. Single payer. Congress gets big money from Big Pharma. Congress has its own 401K (lower fees, higher returns) that the rest of us can't buy into and they have lifetime healthcare. They don't have to worry about losing their jobs, EVER. We're a laughing stock. The United States of America can't or won't take care of its own citizens. I, for one, am angry.
18
Single payer healthcare is good for providing very basic safety-net coverage. I wouldn’t assume a single-payer system will work well for more complex issues. Average healthcare in some other nations is better, but for innovative and higher-level procedures the United States is still superior — you will not have healthcare innovation without competition and profit incentives. So it’s more nuanced than you’re making it, just as much as they are being overly simplistic on the Republican side of the aisle.
1
It took the disaster that is Trump, a threat to good governance and due diligence, to bring Congress together. Says a lot about the state of the GOP that bipartisanship is needed when they already have a nominal majority. Seems the real majority are those retaining some sanity, the rest are GOP ideologues so far off in magic land they have lost all touch with reality.
5
As Trump continues to deconstruct the legacy of his predecessors, he willfully destroys what remains of the American Dream and the hopes of We the People.
19
Trump is playing the long game, with his eyes and ears pointed to Steve Bannon. First, trump had no idea how to deal with the healthcare crisis unfolding around him, although something of his own making. Just as he had no idea what to do with the Iran Agreement or so-called tax reform. So he kicks these problems over to Congress with no leadership or suggestions on how to resolve them. Then he says he can go along with a temporary fix to the ACA that undermines McConnell and Ryan, while taking credit for making Congress function. Trump has sown enough uncertainty into the chaotic healthcare insurance market that he can still rail against the ACA to his base and blame Congress for not fixing it. (McConnell and Ryan had all year to fix it folks!) Then Bannon and he will go on the campaign trail in 2018 and support extremists because the people in Congress couldn't get it done. Can we be in for 7 more years of this? The ball is really in the Republican's court. They need to grow a spine and with the Democrats stand up as a co-equal branch of government and pass meaningful legislation. But that's hard to do when the Koch brothers and the Mercers are doling out hundreds of millions of dollars in lobbying fees and campaign contributions.
14
I would be interested in a plan that has a $25,000 deductible, as long as it's reasonably priced. That might sound ridiculous, but it's not to me. I haven't been to a doctor in over 3 years. I'm not wealthy, but I have enough assets to where I think I can self-insure myself up to that level. I don't need insurance to pay for a doctor visit or a test. I just need to be covered for something really, really, serious. And I want an affordable choice again.
6
You're lucky, and clearly prudent, that you can afford to self-insure up to $25k. But many Americans, through a combination of lower wages and self-indulgence, do not have 2 nickels to rub against a dime. More importantly, the essence of insurance is to pool risk. We need you with your financial comfort and I hope current good health to help subsidize those in bad health. Absent tragedy that takes you while you're young, there is a third thing to count on (besides death and taxes). You're going to get sick, very sick, at some point in your life. At that time, others in your community will help carry you through their premium payments. If ever there was a system designed to pay it forward, health insurance with broad coverage is it.
3
Well, that's wonderful, but, it's not how insurance works. First, everyone in the insurance pool needs to be contributing enough that when (not really if) you need that catastrophic payout, you've put in enough to cover it. Next, you are assuming you can afford everything below this deductible. That's a pretty big assumption, but not a surprising one from you, given your failure to obtain a checkup in three years. To me, this would indicate that you are not particularly adept at risk management, at all. Question is, who will pay when you discover you can't pay a number of $20k bills? How is your insurer going to pay for other people's care when you are not paying in your fair share along the way (or is it really just all about you)? Who is going to pay when you've avoided a doctor for a minor discomfort, in order to avoid an "unnecessary" medical bill, until something treatable has metastasized into something catastrophic? Who is going to pay when your savings is wiped out in an unrelated event, like a flood in your house (for which, of course, you won't have purchased insurance)? Paying into the system sucks, but like a tax, those payments allow all of us to collectively have a more consistent and predictable life experience. You can enjoy that knowledge when you see a young kid in your neighborhood receiving successful chemo treatments, or when you find yourself in a hospital bed, questioning whether this is the fateful day your doctor will be giving you the "bad news."
2
I'm wondering what kind of alternative universe Walker and Cruz are living in. Did they forget the events of the past 10 months? The Republicans had the chance to repeal and replace. They had seven years to come up with a plan. They couldn't. Now it's time to make the ACA work. "Obamacare is in a 'death spiral'" is so dishonest, it's beyond description. While they're at it, why don't they stop funding the military and then wonder why it's not so effective anymore.
16
The competitiveness of an economy and of the companies operating within the economy depends on a healthy and well-educated and properly trained workforce. Without this the economy cannot grow, people cannot improve the quality of their lives and the rich cannot remain rich.
4
One would reasonably think that after the GOP's protracted, partisan, and purile approach to health care, that they could for once respect and consider what is good for the majority of people in the country. However, idealogues and opportunists that they are (with a few exceptions), service and common good are beyond their capacity to consider and function.
4
This is all fine and good, and I'm happy to see both political sides working together for a change. However, it isn't a done deal until it gets past McConnell and that other guy in the house, and that the pres hasn't again changed his mind.
The fact remains that the answer is Medicare for All -- with a single payer for all medical needs -- even eye and dental. When we get to this point, same as Canada and UK, as well as other European civilized countries, this squabble will continue.
10
This is rich. Can you imagine, if every time you went to work and did your job, it made the headlines?
We need to get rid of the ideologues and replace them with people that respect & listen to each other.
10
Take the plunge, America! Go “socialist.” Give your citizens what they deserve, decent health insurance, and move on!
12
1. "Obamacare" is in a "death spiral" only because Mr. Trump is pushing it off a cliff piece by piece.
2. Trump says that providing the subsidies for 2 years will give time to have a "great" plan. Well, it's been almost 8 years and the GOP has NO viable plan, so???
3. Cruz & Co are delusional when they speak of all the people who have been hurt by the ACA. Would that be all the folks who got life-saving drugs; who got preventative care for the 1st time in years; who had a problem which they did not know they have diagnosed and treated?
23
Preach it, Sister Hislop!
Obama saved my family through the ACA. My husband's cancer was caught in the nick of time, and my son's emergency surgery last year was covered.
We did not have to beg friends and family for help paying medical bills. Prior to ACA, we would have had to not only beg for this help--- we may have had to ask for a place to stay.
14
Be careful not to count the chickens too early. Readers should be mindful of DACA. Trump and the extremist wings of the Republicans could renege or attach unreasonable demands on the deal to make it unpalatable. Even without Trump, that has been Republican modus operandi. With Trump, it is more like "do you have a hundred dollar change for a ten dollar bill."
Trump's withholding subsidies to stabilize the health systems will hurt a lot of downtrodden. Even if they were a 100% Trump supporters and they needed to learn the lesson, this is about life and death. Anyone with a heart would feel sick the unraveling of bad karma. That said, you don't want to give in to outrageous demands and attachments on a sensible provision like this. Or, Trump will succeed in dismantling ACA.
So be aware of the scheming bunch!
8
I've seen reports indicating that he and the GOP intend holding the Children's Health Insurance Program (funding for which lapsed just recently) hostage in order to force Democrats to support funding for his wall when the budget comes up again in December.
An advanced, civilized country must have universal health care.
Can't put it more simply and humanely than that.
39
Are you assuming this is an 'advanced civilized country'? Perhaps you assume too much.
7
Democrats want to keep Obamacare. Republicans want to take it away. So the *bipartisan* (and therefore correct) solution is to keep Obamacare, but make it worse! Seriously, what exactly is this supposed to fix? Continued kickbacks for private insurance companies while creating more high risk pools? No thanks.
8
People clearly misunderstand and mislabel the subsidies as a bailout for insurance companies. You all do realize that the subsidies are essentially a premium payment and they aren't bailing out the company they are bailing out the American citizen who can't afford to pay $300 to $3000 a month depending on the plan they have. That's who getting the bail out. If we had access to a Medicare health plan that we could pay for and the government ran it would be competition. Insurance companies that are publicly traded worry about stock price and shareholders so they clearly will raise prices so they remain in the black. The government just wants to break even or come close and therefore can keep the premium lower. Republicans scream free market and competition but when the idea would force the companies to tighten the belt and focuses more on the customer than the share holder the money comes out and now it's "socialism". It's amazing how far we've sunk that half our country can fall for that. That's like screaming I don't want the military cause it's socialism. I'm paying for someone else's protection of freedom. A single payer option is no more socialism than any other government program that our country offers to everyone. If the current government is really that afraid of "socialism" as they call it then the repeal bill should include social security, medicare/Medicaid, and food assistance. Then we will truly find out what their base believes in.
1
"This takes care of the next two years," Mr. Alexander said. "After that, we can have a full-fledged debate on where we go long-term on health care." Ominous statement, coming from a Republican.
11
Here is my problem with this.
The whole reason why Republicans complained about the subsidies to begin with is because they were seen as an illegal executive overreach by president Obama- but the reason why Obama had to do it himself is because he had no help from congress, which was obstructing him just for the sake of it. So now that there's a Republican president, all of a sudden there are Republicans who want to vote for the subsidies?? If there ever was proof that Republicans are playing games with people's lives and livelihoods, this is it. They don't care about you, they just want to "win". This is not to be mistaken for a good-hearted bipartisan effort.
29
Nothing appears to have been negotiated regarding cost reductions. Both parties continue to rearrange the chairs, and the premiums keep going up.
The GOP figured that it needed something “bipartisan” to avert a bloodbath in the 2018 mid-terms, so it did something rather nifty: Trump would first “break something,” and then the senators would fix it. In the end they would be in roughly the same place but give the appearance of having done something.
This is an utterly shameful way to govern, or not.
29
Just remember, Hipolito, they haven't fixed diddly yet.
Trump opposes Americans' health. Americans must remove this dangerous, callous thug from office.
32
"the deal would also give states “more flexibility in the variety of choices they can give to consumers”.... Healthcare premiums can go down only if the for profit insurance companies payout less for their customers' healthcare. There is no magic. If the insurance companies payout less, somebody is going to have to payout more. Who do you suppose is going to end up paying more? Now if there was a government option for people to buy Medicare, then the premiums could really go down because there would be less money spent on paperwork and Medicare is not in business to make a profit. And if anybody thinks offering Medicare as an option is dreaded Socialism, well they always have the option of buying the more expensive for profit healthcare insurance. Come on people, wake up, the solution isn't that complicated.
14
Trump kills the illegal Obama subsidies last week. This week, we hear he is receptive to this garbage “bi-partisan” reinstatement.
That’s crazy.
8
CSRs not illegal. Supreme Court has not ruled.
3
Crazy, but it is political theater for low info voters.
2
This is not a deal. This is another bad policy by Congress which just wants to spend money to put a band-aid over a very bad health care law in ACA and keep avoiding making serious proposals to reduce healthcare cost or revamp our delivery system for healthcare. It is easy to spend money. These Senators are dishonest idiots.
3
Trump hates Obama. With such hate that one wonders if Trump should be the one to be in office for very long. Make sure he is a 1 term president, vote against him in 2020. He has not shown he is worth more than a few days in office. He claims things then lies about them later, he is not a friend to the poor americans.
21
Why wait for 2020? Vote Democrats into Congress next year and let Trump be impeached.
8
Oh the anxiety and whiplash we have to suffer on a daily basis with this clueless President. How many different positions can he take in one week! It appears Murray and Alexander made a sensible deal, but now will McConnell and Ryan allow a vote?? It could pass with all the Dems and a few GOP but that wouldn't look good.
11
It was never appropriate for an insurer to be able to know whether a consumer applying for the insurer's plan was low-income or not -- that information should have been confidential, and the insurance companies had no business knowing what an individual's financial situation is.
Set up special Medicare plans, allowing those with pre-existing conditions, at any age, to purchase a Medicare plan, with means-based adjustments for both the premium and deductible.
For healthy people who purchase health insurance but who have low incomes, give subsidies for premiums and deductibles, not to the insurers, but instead directly to the individual -- insurers and providers should not be allowed to know what an individual's financial situation is. That leads to discrimination.
I'm still not sure what unique service health insurers provide that gives them the right to skim off a large chunk of the 16 percent of the economy that health care now consumes, just for collecting money from people and then paying some of it out. Insurers have done nothing to bring down the cost of care -- they just pass the high prices through with higher premiums. Indeed, the high cost of care serves as a form of blackmail -- insurers WANT health care to be expensive, because that is what scares people into buying the expensive health insurance.
13
Was all of this so Trump could claim victory? Vainglorious indeed.
6
Whatever we think of Trump it's clear to me that he took his actions to spur and force congress to act. He encouraged Senator Alexander to reach a compromise with Senator Murray. They did. Trump succeeded. The terms of the agreement clearly continue the architecture of Obamacare with some concessions to Trump and the GOP. It may be a bitter pill for many to swallow but this is the second major bipartisan agreement between the parties that the President assisted in The earlier one was the funding to keep the government money which gave Democrats leverage in December. I concede he has no fixed ideology other than making himself look good but somehow he has broken through the partisan gridlock twice now. I predict the same will happen with DACA. Let's hope the House signs on.
4
Alan brown, the two Senators were negotiating this before Grahams Cassady was introduced. Then 10 days ago they got very close to an agreement. There is no evidence they couldn't been at this point a month ago had the GOP not tried repeal and replace for that last time.
12
Exactly.
Will enough Americans ever get tired of having their health, their lives and those of their loved ones threatened over and over by Republicans who have no compassion, no desire and no commitment to ensuring that they get the medical care they need? What is more important than health and life? A small tax cut? A sports player kneeling? Saying "Merry Christmas"? A wall?
26
Remember, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Trump is once again playing both sides against one another, setting himself up to win while the American people are the real losers.
12
All the hoorays in this comments section reveal how frightfully well our expectations have been "managed."
And health care stocks are soaring today -- woo hoo!
#cuibono
2
So much time and money wasted purely because the Republican party
1/Is a bunch of sore losers
2/Can't stand the idea of the average American getting the same health care they enjoy and
3/Wants all our wealth to buy more private jets.
8
The fate of this bi-partisan agreement may rest on whether Paul Ryan will enforce the “Hastert Rule,” that figurative monument to the former Speaker who held the highest federal office ever attained by a pedophile. Will Ryan allow the bill to be introduced in the House if a majority of Republican House members oppose it?
9
It seems that complaints about little choice regarding the number of companies on the Obamacare exchanges come from states who have Republican governors
9
There is no deal until the House signs off.
2
If Trump hates the big cut Insurance companies take out of healthcare, he should back National Health Insurance. Each year just have Medicare coverage expand down in age by 3 years- next year it covers to age 62, the year after to age 59, the year after to age 56, etc. There was NO promise by the American Government to always pay a private middleman 15% of each health care dollar. President, if you think these companies are taking us to the cleaners, you are right. Get rid of UnitedHealthcare, etc!!!
10
Good job New York Times. This article referred to the plan that Trump and lots of Republicans want to scrap as the "Affordable Care Act," rather than "Obamacare." Polls have shown that an embarrassing percentage of Americans don't like health insurance known as "Obamacare," but they do like the "Affordable Care Act."
True to form, the right-wing lackeys quoted in this article, who are working as hard as they can against decent health care coverage for all Americans, referred to the ACA as "Obamacare"--“Obamacare is in a ‘death spiral,’ ” Mr. Walker said. Senator Cruz and Senator Walker also insisted on using "Obamacare."
Anyway, it is encouraging to see some adult senators from both sides of the aisle working together to keep the Demagogue in Chief from totally destroying every thing that is good and decent about this country.
7
Mr. Trump only wants to dismantle everything that President Obama has put in place. Mere spite and hate...without offering anything better. He couldn't care less about offering a better solution to these problems.
12
“It’ll get us over this intermediate hump,” the president said at a Rose Garden news conference, describing it as “a short-term solution so that we don’t have this very dangerous little period.”
Are you kidding? It seems he already forgot that this "very dangerous little period" is of his own making.
His Presidency is one continuous, "dangerous period".
12
Lying Ted on the zenith of hypocrisy, he "dislikes" the idea if government bailing (?) out the insurance companies but had no qualms going hat in hand asking for money to hated Washington after the hurricane, now I've seen it all.
6
Trump ,after a divisive win for his presidency ,looked over the aftermath in his bigger then the universe head ,as he walked the Rose garden. He paused. To unite the country he would have the country turn on him! Never has there been more agreement between the democrats and republicans! Trump is the uniter!
Not to slam this deal, but Lamar Alexander is the perfect example of the Mr. Smith who went to Washington and turned into swamp water, and Patti Murray is about as far out of the Leftist fringe that you can reach without condemning the very existence of the United states or any democracy.
That they reached a deal doesn't any more warm my heart than North Korea and Iran agreeing to destroy Saudi Arabia and Japan on the same day. Other than, that, go right ahead you guys.
3
Repeal and replace the ACA with Medicare for All. Single Payer to restore our nation to fiscal, ethical and physical health.
Ethics and fiscal education taught from preschool from qualified educators who model and also teach critical thinking skills. Democracy doesn't work where citizens lack zeal for reading, writing, thinking and fact checking.
3
I don't know about this, folks. The fly in the ointment is cherry picking a subset of the population out and enticing healthy-at-the-time people to choose wildly abbreviated policies with exclusions and caps.
I can tell you from experience, you're a death or divorce or job loss or accident or illness away from financial catastrophe.
Beware of 'better' 'cheaper' temporary fixes. Things aren't always what they seem.
8
It seems the insurance companies are trying to make up for the instability in the market in gouging those who make over $47K and are self employed.
In NC BCBS shot rates up for this group. My rate went up 120% for 2018: from $649 to $1430. Insane. Unaffordable. In all 8 years of Obama my rates only went up 130% in total.
I see similar horror stories on FB feeds. It's a blood bath out there for people not on group insurance. The movement for Medicare for All will only grow.
5
Well, Democrats and Republican Senators (only a few so far but it's a start) agreeing on going something, That's not usual. I will be interested in the details. Of course if recent history is any guide (it may not be) the Republican leadership in Congress will kill that sort of thing.
Senator Alexander claims that he does not know "a Republican who benefits from chaos." Obviously he has not met the leader of the Republican Party, a fellow named Trump. His primary strategy is chaos, and it works for him. President Trump may support the measure, because if a bill or a candidate he opposes seems likely to succeed he often announces his support. This way he can call himself the winner.
3
"“For a period of one year, two years, we will have a very good solution,” Mr. Trump said. “But we’re going to have a great solution, ultimately, for health care.”"
That "very good solution" is actually nothing but Obamacare implemented by a competent WH doing its job.
As to the "great solution for HC" that Trump has been promising: if it exists, why isn't he putting it on the table, so that he can engage in tough negotiations with Congress and then sign it into law? What is he waiting for?
He promised to cover even more Americans than Obamacare, at even lower costs. WHERE is his plan ... ?
8
I think this is a good compromise.
It preserved the mandate to cover certain things and prohibited charging more for pre existing conditions.
Unfortunately there are many GOP Neanderthals who do not want the government to have ANY role in providing health care and will oppose this compromise solely on that basis.
Will Ryan in the House and McConnell in the Senate allow this proposal to come up for a vote.
2
First president Obama paid these illegally, this president would not do that. Next if there are not some other things in this bill to reform health insurance I would not support it.
2
Vulcan,
Since Trump has been in office, his administration has paid out the ACA subsidies on 2 different occasions. Trump just chose this round of payments to support his false narrative that the ACA is in crisis. It is not, but actions like suspending the subsidies (that go to offsetting costs for poor and lower income ACA enrollees) crate chaos and uncertainty in the healthcare marketplace.
Good question: If the subsidy payments are "illegal" as you say, why did trump pay them out twice in the last 9 months?
3
The Supreme Court has not ruled on the Constitutionality of CRSs.
2
Maybe President Trump should get some credit for forcing the issue. Obamacare needed to be fixed and now it finally looks like it maybe happening.
4
The part that needed fixing was the high premiums in the individual market for people who earn too much to get subsidies. That could have been done directly but that problem will still be there after (and if) this bipartisan deal gets done. The deal just fixes what Trump broke, not what was broken before.
6
He deserves very little credit. But maybe it would be wise to stroke his ego and give him enough credit that he moves on to something else. In other words, handle him like the child he is.
1
Let me get this straight. The people now getting subsidized premiums AND subsidized deductibles and co-pays on the exchanges would have continued getting both those subsidies even if the government ala Trump stopped paying insurance companies the cost-sharing reduction payments, right? So those middle-to-low income folks are not hurt by Trump's action. It's because insurance companies would shift the cost of those lost subsidies to more affluent customers in the individual market, raising THEIR premiums, that's the problem, right? So why can't insurance companies spread that cost more broadly to include large-group customers in corporate health benefit plans and also trim their profit margins, dividends, executive salaries, sales commissions, marketing and lobbying expenses, etc.? In other words, tighten their belts like their customers have to do when our expenses go up? Why do taxpayers have to bail them out when their business model doesn't work? Let's remember that Obamacare handed them millions of new customers who couldn't afford their products before without premium subsidies. Greedy and ungrateful.
11
Yep, this was only pertaining to the cost sharing. It applies to those making under 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. Without it the insurance companies would have to pay it. Obama’s give away to insurance companies.
1
It's not a give away. Under current law insurance companies can't be forced to stay in unprofitable markets. Keeping them in such markets requires cash. In a better system, government itself might be a provider of insurance, or all insurance companies might be much more heavily regulated and their profits curbed. The latter way is what you see in European countries that have insurance based universal health care.
1
This situation is simply absurd. The only reason that the ACA is “failing” is that the Republicans are
sabotaging the act. This whole campaign to dismantle the ACA is costing us, the taxpayers, billions of
dollars. Think of all the time, talent and care that went into the making of the ACA. The Republicans
have tried to prevent it from happening every step of the way. The underlying issue is not
health care but the twisted Republican need to undue everything Obama did, since they couldn’t
prevent his policies. From President Obama’s inauguration on, the Republican agenda was to stop him, period. I believe the underlying issue is race hatred. Clearly, it is all around us. Clearly, we the people must stop it and again aspire to the “better angels of our nature.” Clearly, we must develop
language and compassion to talk about the real human need that the ACA attempted to address. And
clearly those of us who are privileged need to do more and pay more, not less, for the good of all
the people of our stricken country.
16
The right hated Obama, but I think the main driver of their policies is just pure GREED.
They have been ripping off the country since Reagan, and it has been very easy.
3
The Republicans just want to steal the money and give it to the rich (including themselves, of course).
If there was any justice, these people would go to prison.
But corruption is the rule that we live by.
I can't help but feel that this is only a temporary deal to make Congress look a bit more legitimate.
7
It was a bad idea to torpedo the Affordable Care Act.
Many Republican voters would have been hurt.
This new funding allows Trump to fulfill his promise to revoke the ACA, while actually supporting Congress in reversing his action and keeping it.
This is traveling in a circle and winding up in the same place.
You are really not getting anything done, Donald.
But you get to dodge the fact that what you promised in your campaign was a bad idea in the first place.
9
DUH! This is what's supposed to happen: bi-partisan compromise. I'm so sad for the new people on the block (the millennials!) who have never understood this.
Where are the death panels? Republicans said that the health security law would result in government panels deciding about health care. And we would lose control over our most basic health decisions. So if there are no death panels, then what’s the problem? Who is hurt by Obamacare? Or are there no longer any legitimate justifications, other than it was an idea of the “other guys”.
2
Certainly, the continuation of subsidies is good news. It will help keep insurance available to millions who would otherwise lose it, either because insurers will abandon markets or the premiums will make it unaffordable. But I am concerned about the cost on the other side of the ledger: opening catastrophic coverage policies to all and liberalizing the waiver policies. Will this encourage millions of healthy individuals to sign up for low-premium, high deductible policies, on the bet that they are healthy and will thereby save money on premiums? And once they leave the standard policies, will those remaining — the millions who have pre-existing conditions, the old, the chronically ill — find that their premiums skyrocket and bankrupt them? Why can’t we simply agree that healthcare — not health insurance — is a right of all Americans, and design a program that covers all Americans outside the profit sector?
7
We are kidding ourselves if we believe for one second that his rare show of bipartisanship is about safeguarding health care for all of us rather the Cabal coming to the rescue of the Insurance industry.
3
This means nothing OBAMA care is toast !
And so will be the people that end up with no insurance
3
I thought more brioche.
1
Um.... not so fast bud. It has done a lot of good for a lot of people. Watch it morph into single payer.....
3
I hope that Senator Murray has read the fine print of this deal; I'm suspicious of Senator Alexander's good faith, since it reminds me of the fable about the scorpion and the frog.
The two senators were in talks recently, but Alexander backed out when the latest "repeal" vote was arranged. He was one of the "yes" votes that would have prevailed had not just enough other GOP senators, including McCain, voted to prevent its passage. Had Alexander been sincere in these earlier talks, he would have first in line to vote "no".
13
It's amusing to see Trump and some of his acolytes try to take credit for this.
Trump puts a gun up to healthcare... No, he shoots it.
Then Senate moderates have to rush it to the ER before it expires. The next day Trump says, well, it was my intention all along to send them to the hospital, they needed medical attention. His supporters say, wow, you really have to give credit to that Trump guy, he really knows how to get things done.
Next on the agenda? Deporting a couple of thousand dreamers to save DACA?
18
There are some real conservatives whom I respect and, more often than not, disagree, but with whom it would be possible to hammer out some sort of
compromise. But they are rarer than hen's dentures. This is all out class warfare, and you'd better wake up to it. As Buffet acknowledged and added
his side was winning.
12
Trumps a loser who has no idea what the ACA is all about, what the subsidies are all about, or why the deal that was made should have been made 5 years ago...a loser of a president in a loser of a party...
23
Trump and the extreme edge of the Republican party have scared us all into taking sensible, constructive action.
I promise to support our elected officials based upon their actions and their positions--not to judge them solely by the name of their political party.
7
I have been watching a lot of Trump supporters on You Tube and I am struck by from the campaign to today they start out describing him as a "businessman" and then go on with a litany of positive qualities that he never had, doesn't have now and, you should be able to tell by now, he never will have. This hero worship projection would almost be touching if it wasn't so dangerous.
23
Let the deux ex machina save us from the evil agenda.
1
You really think Trump
helped this along? All he did was ensure that some people will be able to buy junk insurance . He is a “soulless coward “ who has zero legislative skills and is sinking in sea of lies.
10
So often I hear people frustrated with Congressional inaction comment that we need term limits. Please notice who was willing to sit down and work together on a bipartisan solution to solve a problem that was going to hurt so many Americans not just in their states but nationwide. It was not the young Turks more interested in blowing things up and winning their next election, it was experienced legislators with enough respect for each other and all citizens of this country to invest the time to work together without grandstanding. That is what we need more of, not term limits that would oust the good with the bad.
6
So Trump does something completely cruel and insane, the Democrats and Republicans come together to stop it, and Trump praises them for stopping him. Nobody would make something like this up, because it doesn't make any sense.
24
Wait. I don't get it. I thought Obamacare is finished; it's dead; it's gone.
Trump wants to destroy the ACA to substantiate his rhetoric that it is failing, so he is sabotaging it. His problem is, everyone knows what he is doing. Our problem is, when Americans die because they can't pay for health care, they will be dead regardless. And don't doubt that they will die from Trump's incompetence, Americans in Puerto Rico already are dying from Trump's incompetence.
9
Single payer NOW!
9
Look out! Mr. President,
Healthcare insurers are in the process of taking you for a ride. These insurances have already financially prepared themselves for this subsidy to end. Now they are asking for more. Don't be fooled.
1
"I don’t expect the Republicans to give up their goal of repealing A.C.A.,” Mr. Schumer said. “But in the meantime, stabilizing the system, preventing chaos and stopping the sabotage is in everybody’s interest.
I'm not sure it is. For too long we've been promised that the free market will solve it. It hasn't and won't. Even though this stopgap measure makes life better and more certain for our family in the short term, we may need to have the equivalent of a ravaging forest fire to clear the underbrush and produce the heat needed to germinate ideas that could lead to universal healthcare and ways to cut the costs of healthcare. Health and well being are not consumable products and a systemic approach that includes policies directed at, for example, clean air and water, climate change, green public spaces, nutritious food, and the quality of our work environments must also be included in the discussion.
4
Saving subsidies will not fly with those determined to treat constituents as collateral damage.
4
While Trump said that he had the votes to pass this bandaid, he also claimed to have the votes on the last repeal and replace bill, claiming that McCain could not vote since he was in the hospital.
To judge the likelihood of success, it is important to remember that the GOP refused to fund the CSR payments after they gained control and Paul Ryan became Speaker. That was part of their Obamacare sabotage efforts.
It was House Republicans who filed suit against the Obama administration for making any of those payments.
A republican district court judged ruled in May 2016 that the Obama administration acted unconstitutionally by spending money that had not been specifically appropriated by the House republicans even though these payments were authorized under law and were expressly linked to insurance companies lowering out-of-pocket medical costs necessary before 100% coverage became applicable. The decision was stayed by the district court judge pending an appellate court resolution. Trump repeatedly stated he would stop the CSR payments which he called, as did other republicans, an insurance company bailout. Trump, on behalf of the government, and the House Republicans filed a motion to delay appellate consideration which was granted by the D.C. Appellate Court. That should never have happened since there was no real party at interest since the plaintiff and the defendant wanted to stop CSR payments. I am not sure where anyone finds optimism in that history.
2
Hmm, looks like "The Swamp" works after all, perhaps. Take that Trump, Bannon at all. I have fingers crossed that neither of you are even relevant when we, as a nation, arrive at a final solution.
2
Fixing Obamacare is only a short fix. Only when we achieve public single-payer status, through taxes like most civilized societies, will we have stable health care access.
Secondary private insurance, such as Medicare advantage or supplement programs, could still be an option for those who need additional coverage and want to pay extra.
Trumpcare - like Trump anything- would be horrid.
5
Few societies have anything close to single-payer health, and none have a pure form of it.
It would be good if "leftists," learned the basics, and left willful ignorance to those truly skilled at it.
A bipartisan deal to help stop the President from ruining the lives of citizens. is this what we've come to? This is the great bargain?
6
Dear Mom and Dad---Great news! I just accepted a new job as legal counsel for a major pharmaceutical company. (I hope that dad couldn't find the remote again and missed 60 Minutes last night). But the advancement potential is huge, given my experience at the DEA and my spineless nature, which I blame on you. But my law school student loans are still dogging me, which I also blame on you and your not having paid for me, so I took the job. Stacey is pregnant again and having difficulties but is seeing a new pain specialist, so not to worry. I hope that sis is well, out of rehab and has dumped that guy facing those pesky distribution charges. Maybe I can get him a job. But overall, things are good and I'm confident that Mr Pillar down at the Pharm-4-All will continue to deliver your meds. I've made some calls. Tell the whole congregation down at the hall that I miss them, keep up the high praising and sending the collection basket to the Congressman. He can never get enough prayers, lol. Love you, miss you and hope to be home soon. And don't forget to take your pills.
2
Republicans would be insane to support this massive bailout of health insurance companies so that they can continue to pay $100 million bonuses to their CEOs. The only bipartisan action Congress appears able to capable of taking s to print and borrow limitless amounts of money.
Is Congress really going to be held hostage to the health insurance industry every time it screams for bailouts and threatens premium increases and “chaos”?
At a minimum, any health insurance company that touches this bailout money should be required to cap all executive salaries at $1 million. If Congress did this, every health insurance company would find an alternative to taking it.
3
The extension provides a cover against incurring voter's wrath in 2018 and then will be extended again for the 2020 presidential election and then... Medicare for all NOW.
9
Things have finally degenerated to the level that we'll celebrate partial chaos over total chaos. Romney-care, I mean the ACA, was never perfect but there's nothing in that legislation that couldn't be fixed with some work and good sense. Republicans decided to turn the ACA into a scapegoat for everything they hated about Obama (aka, the fact he wasn't a white Republican) and here we are today. Fear, chaos, uncertainty about the future of our heath care system. Bravo Trump, bravo party of Trump, bravo Disciples of Trump.
14
Subsidizing a premium for lower-income is not "bailing out" the insurers any more than sugar and corn subsidies for farmers or research and development tax credits for google. It is only when actual "people" are given assistance that there is a problem in Congress. When it comes to pork for business and tax subsidies for business, the Congressional pigs are at the trough.
11
In a way, doesn't this succumb to Trump's disgusting executive order last week?
It has got to be scary. What will he threaten next time? And for what? And with what?
He writes a crazy, scary, devastating order that millions would be affected by as part of his bullying. These two Senators were already working on this. He had to pull the rug away and play the boogeyman role, instead of showing some patience? Or does he just not have a clue what's going on?
He said he's participated. That doesn't make sense after his last week's performance.
8
If I shoot somebody and two people rush over and give first aid that saves his life, do I get credit for saving his life too? I mean, if I hadn't shot him, he wouldn't have needed saving.
14
So, Trump creates a needless crisis. Senators that had been working on a bipartisan basis may come up with a measured solution to clean up the mess.
The only remarkable thing here is poor leadership.
I expect there are dozens of small changes to the ACA that could clear 60 votes if they were proposed ... like Medicare/Medicaid being able to negotiate drug prices.
Wow, how our expectations have been lowered by Trump.
5
Oh please please please Republicans! Shoot down the deal that would preserve health insurance for millions of your voters! Be Strong; Stay The Course; Drink that delicious Grover Norquist koolaid.
10
Maybe this is a dumb idea, but I think if most Americans refused to pay for any kind of health insurance and all converged on emergency rooms when they were sick, something might be done. Do it in protest of paying far too much for insurance, the cost of medical care and the price of prescriptions. If many millions did this, if these people got organized, the greedy would have to listen.
7
Belle
Chronic illnesses are not taken care of in ER's.
1
If his premiums (unsubsidized) go up again next year, my son with Type 1, insulin-dependent diabetes will probably do better financially by dropping the insurance and paying for his insulin, doctor services and labs out of pocket. Already, it only covers half of his insulin cost. Of course, if he is seriously injured and hospitalized, he would be bankrupted, but that puts him in the same predicament as millions of healthy people who don't buy insurance because of the cost.
1
The only reason that these 2 Senators had to act was that Trump cut off the subsidies in the first place. Yes, it would have been better for the ACA to have been clearer as to how the subsidies would be funded in the first place, but Trump did not have to cut them off. And for him to now claim any credit for this "win" -- assuming it clears Congress -- is pure self-promotion.
14
Self promotion is all he does. No original ideas, not even any old rehashed ones. Just bluster, bizarre promises, and cries of me, me, me. Since he was going to repeal and replace on 'day one', it would have been appropriate to have thought about the issue and had some kind of a plan. Instead, he just bloviates and decisions get made, if at all, under an unrealistic and unnecessary time line. This is government by panic.
4
The damage is done
Fewer people will sign up
Unpaid visits to emergency rooms will rise
All of this could have been avoided
13
The money Trump cut off was already declared Unconstitutional by a Federal Court. Obama spent money not appropriated by Congress. By jumping the gun Trump forced Dems to come to the table. Nest March he will do it again with DACA.
3
Trump didn't force the Democrats to do anything - Murray and Alexander have been working on this for months.
2
Trump is already doing unconstitutional things, like his businesses profiting from his presidency every time he plays golf, hosts foreign leaders or takes a weekend at Mar-a-Lago. So what's so bad about helping low-income Americans afford health insurance that's worse than that?
2
Oh, good. Another vote and, whether it passes or not, more evidence to be used against the immoral GOP. Both senators of Oklahoma will likely not vote in favor. My best guess after watching both deplorables, James Lankford and James Inhofe vote for every iteration of ACA repeal or repeal/replace.
4
Help? Mueller? Obama? Oprah? This man has no clue what health care plan he has let alone what's good for the Country? How can 321 million Americans have same nightmare over and over and over........
13
Nice to see what has long been a "do nothing" Congress finally starting to do something positive and important.
2
Parties in our system are not in the formal structure of our government, the structure requires representatives from geographical locations regardless of party to vote as representatives of the people in that location. They can introduce legislation and work to convince others to pass regardless of Party affiliation.
"Our system"?
And which system would that be in Moscow?
Do tell.
3
Our government is not formed according to parties as the U.K.
Hopefully the great compromise includes a buy in to Medicare for those who do not qualify for subsidies.
Hopefully there is a catastrophic plan that is mandatory for those that think they are invincible.
Hopefully there will be a tax on employers of low wage workers to support the CSRs
And hopefully companies that pay their CEOs more than 150 times the average worker pay will not qualify for a 20%tax rate.
This was all so unnecessary...
4
This health care intermezzo is important in that it’s bipartisan. It’s not going to ease carrier’s concerns because block grants to states do not provide any guarantees of the number of covered lives carriers can expect in order to base their premiums costs.
At best, it buys Congress time to really do some work and protects families from the ravages of the true health care that the GOP wants to provide; nothing coverages.
This agreement gives the GOP cover for the 2018 midterms- nothing else.
7
Two more years! Two more years!! Then we can "have a full-fledged debate..."?
What? This triumph of bipartisanship is what we're celebrating?
Trump-time unravels my sanity a little more every day.
6
Welcome to the ever-growing club...
1
Typical Congress. Kick the can down the road. The two year agreement will be extended for another two years with the Dems hoping to regain control of Congress and the Presidency. After that, they will not only keep Obamacare, but expand it.
The sound you hear in the background is the death knell of " repeal and replace". Congratulations, Congress, you continue to earn your dismal approval rating for never coming up with a permenant program.
2
What a waste of time. If anyone knows politics and has been following the ACA knows this "bipartisanship" deal is dead on arrival..
2
And where will we be when the two years are up?
4
No one will say this in fear of blowing up this deal, but it is is a flat rebuke of President Trump, whose suspension of subsidy payments was designed to torpedo the ACA. He is still trying to do this.
Lamar Alexander and Patty Murray have worked long and hard on this, and they are both veteran members of the Senate. I am sure Ted Cruz will make a stink because that is the kind of guy he is, but otherwise we should celebrate the fact that something--anything--bipartisan seems to be inching its way through the Senate.
This is what we have to live with now. Trump does something vile, evil and irrational and the rest of government has to go mad trying to undo it, just because he is that crazy.
This is no way to run our affairs. We will all be daft and distraught before this Trumpian nightmare is over.
6
Good. Two years is enough time to vote the Republicans, with their hyper-partisan, scorched earth tactics toward the common good, straight out of office
7
“This takes care of the next two years,” Mr. Alexander said. “After that, we can have a full-fledged debate on where we go long-term on health care.”
Who is this "we"? Not democrats, citizens or the media. He must mean the the Republican caucus in Congress who have been repeatedly trying to jam votes through the House and Senate outside of "regular order"...you know, hearings and debates over bills that Congress gets to see more than a day or two before votes.
Great idea, Senator Alexander, but I hope your Republican colleagues know you expect them to actually participate in a debate.
6
The idea that presidential leadership amounts to breaking things so badly that congress is compelled to act doesn't appeal to me.
9
I agree with you. Yet with this prez and Ryan and McConnell at the helm in the house and senate, respectively, it is more progress than we’ve seen all year. If a few more are brave enough to cross the aisle, we could finally find something that works.
What else needs to be added? The government has to be able to negotiate on drug prices. That this has been left out is mind boggling.
And two years is two years closer to Trump getting tossed out of D.C.
I’ll take the deal. Ironically, if the GOP’s hair hadn’t been on fire (I’d include Trump’s orange hair but it already is on fire) to repeal and repeal (it was NEVER repeal and replace), this could have been done in January, and Trump could have claimed a victory.
2
This is just a band aid to get Republican congress through the midterms since many of their states' residents are The law's biggest beneficiaries. The subsidies do nothing except subsidize the profits of Private companies. Let's give the private insurance market real competition by Repealing-and-replacing with a Public Option.
6
"Let's give the private insurance market real competition by Repealing-and-replacing with a Public Option."
The public option was an original part of the plan, removed only in a futile attempt to win obstructionist votes. It can be added back without "repeal or replace".
...Andrew
1
While this should not be seen as a wholesale endorsement of President Trump, perhaps he is not so dumb. Forcing the hand of congress is the start of.... at least something. The ACA provided "coverage" but not insurance. It is mostly a medicaid expansion (which is a bad thing- more money into states like my own that spend a disproportionate amount of money on 'caid without regard for encouraging people to get off welfare)... an expansion that, for people under 65, does not look as assets, only income. I have an 'out of work' family on medicaid, and the woman was injured at her country club- husband took a huge severance with a 2 year restrictive covenant so has 'no income.' They chose medicaid rather than spend some money.
For health care to be a right, we need to force upon people tremendous responsibility- be responsible for yourself, pay for your care when you can afford it, prioritize it when you can barely afford it, and do not expect everything.
The ACA is doomed to failure. Single-payer will not work given the expectations of patients and the lack of desire to pay doctors appropriately. Market solutions WILL work, if the big elephant that pays for everything without limitation is thrown out of the room.
1
Yeah, not. A close friend who works in a clinic in Tallahassee has been close to shell shock over her patients who signed on to ACA (and pay) that now fear the turmoil that could lead to no available or affordable insurance at all.
I don't blame them.
Until our single-minded politicians and their devotees decide to work for the betterment of the system in place, which is benefiting millions of our fellow Americans, can we begin to get through this partisan debacle.
1
Greg- I agree with you that those that signed on to the ACA pay and benefit. And that needs to be stabilized and fixed. Unfortunately most of the ACA is a colossal medicaid expansion that the beneficiaries DO NOT pay a cent for. THAT is the problem. Explain to me why I/you/we should be paying for people without any consideration to making them DO SOMETHING in exchange. I am tired of hearing about the poor drug addicts who need addiction treatment, or the illegals who need care. Take some responsibility and maybe we will have the money to help those who need it. So many do.
1
First of all a large percentage of medicaid recipients are children or the aged who can't possibly contribute to society. Others are disabled. Most of the rest are too underpaid to be able to afford any form of insurance. They are so underpaid because the wealthy who control this society have jiggered things that way to maximize their own income and power. Yes some are irresponsible. But there is no benefit to society in letting them get sicker and sicker. People who fail to understand the above are either ignorant, cruel, or both.
1
My thoughts:
This just relieves 45 of any responsibility to actually lead on the topic of health care and the CSRs.
It's only kicking the can down the road for 2 years, when the topic will be up for negotiation again.
If there is any sort of God, 45 will be by that time consigned to the ash heap of history and this entire topic of repeal and replace will be moot.
2
To increase access and lower costs : universal health care and single payer. Time for the US to join other advanced countries. This is not the area to be "exceptional".
2
Cee- Universal care and single payer are not dependent on each other. Single payer will destroy good health care for those who work for it, and does nothing to control cost other than potentially regulate price- NOT the same thing. We spend too much because we demand too much. End of life expenditures are out of control. Futile care is out of control. Until we are willing to say NO to people, costs will be unsustainable. No other country does this. We are "exceptional" because we spend spend spend when it is of no lasting benefit.
1
It is true that countries with universal health care have some combination of stringent cost controls and rationing. Those with enough wealth can buy their way out of the rationing, either through private insurance or obtaining care for cash. This may sound unfair, but is actually works out better than the mess we have now. In no developed country are people dying because they can't get elective surgery when they want it and have to wait.
1
Wait for the details - waivers and the copper plan are not defined. Hopefully they will continue the ACA coverage requirements and allow premiums to be limited to planned raises with federal subsidies. To quote: "We'll see."
1
I'm glad that there is a possible solution to this problem. What does concern me is the idea of turning health insurance over to the states. With all the problems with the Federal Government, I would still rather trust to it than to my state.
1
Re: “This takes care of the next two years,” Mr. Alexander said. “After that, we can have a full-fledged debate on where we go long-term on health care.”
Wrong, Mr. Alexander. That full-fledged debate should take place *during those two years,* so a long-term solution will be ready when that two-year deal expires. Republicans have had SEVEN years to debate the ACA's replacement, with nothing to show other than a badly disrupted insurance marketplace -- do they think they can get away with these disruptive fiascos forever?
1
This short-term plan sounds reasonable. The GOP should get on board with this, then resume bipartisan debate later on fixing Obamacare. Kudos to Trump for helping this short-term plan along.
The failure to fund subsidies is already in the rates this year. Funding the subsidies just increases the insurance companies profits. Why should UHC CEO earn $66M for one years work? There are so many things wrong with for-profit healthcare....
4
Shouldn't this FINALLY make it clear that letting private insurance companies set premiums, pick their markets and design plans to maximize their profits will never, ever bring about universal, comprehensive coverage that is affordable for all Americans? Instead of bringing back that failing model, piece by piece, we should be moving forward to a single-payer model that takes the private insurance business OUT of the system. We don't need it!
2
Why should this be a short-term solution? This simply lets the GOP off the hook for the 2018 midterm elections. Either find the CSRs or not, and live with the consequences.
1
Everyone who reads what 27 psychiatrists, psychologist, and mental health experts say have to be extremely worried about the precarious state of our nation today. These are not TV personalities or fake reality show people, but very well respected, highly credentialed, and respected professionals in the field of mental illness and behavior. It is downright very troubling and scary. The NY Times and other news media outlets may not report on it, nor allow it to be mentioned by name, but it begs to be read if you're concerned or troubled by what is happening today in our nation.
1
Trump is just trying to kick it down the road now and claim it was his plan all along...
Why should Democrats let Republicans off the hook? Now that Trump has overtly sabotaged the ACA, and Republicans control all branches of government, Republicans are fully responsible for whatever happens to the health care and insurance industries. Forget the short term patches and let it be clear to the American people that we need single payer health insurance.
1
If Republicans don't pass this fix (and especially if McConnell and/or Ryan refuse to let it go to the floor for a vote), it's time for Democrats to go on the offensive. Refusing this fix would be irrefutable proof that Republicans have no plan for health care beyond smashing the ACA, and don't care about millions of people who would lose health insurance without the fix. And worse, Republicans are willing to sacrifice those millions of people in the name of pleasing their wealthy donors, spiting Obama, and "winning."
If Republicans refuse to pass this fix and Democrats don't take full advantage of it, Democrats truly deserve to be the irrelevant minority party in a country run by inept bullies solely for the benefit of wealthy donors.
2
Reading the mostly negative quotes from the health care experts is laughable. No one ever mentions the forgotten middle class , not eligible for subsidies and who's premiums and co-pays have gone through the roof. Many are not even using the ACA as it is just too expensive. Other middle class citizens are using the ACA but the cost exhausts all of their disposable income.
This great achievement of Obamacwas passed on lies and deceit; Obama gets a pass on the lies though.
It's actually Obamas fault we are in this predicament. He had the 3 branches of government and should have enacted a single payer system; or st least a bi-partisan piece of healthcare legislation. Either would have been fine with me.
2
You'd best review your 8th grade government lessons and rethink your position on "Obama had the three branches of government" and thus could pass whatever sort of healthcare bill he wanted.
Obama had a bare 60 votes in the Senate and that was including a couple independents, Bernie Sanders and Joe Lieberman. Well, Bernie didn't have a whole lot of input but Joe Lieberman was in bed with a lot of insurance companies from Connecticut. Hartford anyone?
Well, Lieberman squashed any public option that would have competed with the for-profits and their bloated 20% overhead cut of the premiums.
Thanks Joe.
Also, Obama did not control the Supreme Court. Best you review just how that Third Branch operates.
2
The borders between people who are eligible for assistance and not always tends to be where some unfairness occurs. To blame the President and not others who had a say about those limits is to know that he forced them all to accept lower ones than they all wanted. Why would he do that, and how did he?
The courts are independent from both the President and the Congress. Many of the Democrats in Congress in 2009 were from red states and could not be expected to vote according to Democratic Party leaders preferences.
1
Thank god a small degree of integrity prevails in the Republican Party. As for the supposed deal maker - Trump - he gets Trumped again....
2
Well, it looks like it is indeed the case that Congress must appropriate money before the President spends it.
But this bill would have to pass the House before it passes the Senate. Where is the bipartisan group of Representatives who can bring that about?
1
Ultimately, we will have single payer. The people want it, and only the insurance companies and their acolytes in congress stand in the way. They can be overcome.
Trump is irrelevant — he changes his stance on health care every few hours. So long as its not called "Obamacare," he can be told that he should support it.
We'll get there, after we waste a few more years.
14
Trump encouraging Alexander to reach a solution? That's a laugh. All Trump had to do was make the payments he was supposed to make. His inability to make a decision left the markets in disarray. This deal will do nothing to lower premiums for 2018. Trump's recklessness forced carriers to build the loss of cost-sharing payments into their rates. Millions will see substantial premium increases caused directly by his failure to lead.
180
bingo
Yes, the damage of the chaos sown by Trump is already factored into obscenely high 2018 premiums. Mine went up 120%! $650 to $1430. Unaffordable. Now what?
It's us against him.
6
It's a very simple idea but Congress must legislate. Stop looking for presidential direction on everything, especially now. There is a committee system, chairs and ranking members, and professional staff. A recent Op-Ed blamed the dysfunction on the Hill on Trump. That's a factor, but the reality is the Republican Party has become an anti-government party. When your mantra is "government is the problem", it's impossible to govern.
8
The ACA saved me from my failing health when I became elderly and retired. I had a negotiator who was brilliant and she processed all my health information and directed me to a plan that has been magnificent. The cost of my meds is great until I reach the donut hole each half year but without the ACA I simply couldn't afford meds at all.
5
Too late, the damage has already been done. Trump disrupted the insurance market and as a result, rates will rise dramatically. That is how healthcare "for-profit" works... the insurance companies do what they must to make a profit and uncertainty increase insurance company risks escalating prices. How much suffering must we endure before we, as a nation, admit for-profit medical care does not work for most Americans?
6
It would be a big mistake politically for DC Democrats to go along with this plan. With Trump's defunding of the subsidies, the GOP has now broken ObamaCare; so let them own it. The 2018 election is coming soon.
4
What is really confusing is that in Arizona, our two ACA insurers, BCBS and HealthNet just announced their 2018 rates and said they both anticipated that these subsidies would be cut. Nevertheless, HealthNet's increase is less than 2% and BCBS will lower fates by 1%.
3
The ACA was a good idea. The problem is that the premiums are becoming unaffordable for the middle class, the networks are too narrow, the deductibles too high, and the care unaffordable. Unfortunately for Americans the wealth care industry does not care about our health. If you don't have the wealth you can forget about the health.
93
Boy you really have a great grasp on the situation. I wish our legislators could understand it so well. In theory the ACA is great. In practice, not so much. Superb that millions are now insured who were not, before. But I am lower middle class and I was insured before...and I am not now, as it costs way too much. So what can people in the middle class do. I explain to folks who ask questions...middle class doesn't mean you're rich and can afford anything. :) It just means you're doing pretty well but may have many obligations - and a back-breaking insurance bill doesn't do much for one's health. It is a constant source of worry - especially now with no health insurance at all. I wish we could make the government honor Obama's promise: 'If you like your current plan, you can keep it.' I liked mine. I want them to give it back.
3
As a Navy veteran I'm getting top-notch, low cost healthcare from the VA.
My son, to my chagrin, joined the Navy out of high school. He now has his PHD and no student debt thanks to the GI bill. He also got a home loan with no down payment. When he retired from his job as a a professor he'll be elginle for VA healthcare.
I'm not a gungho military type. However I strongly recommend that young people consider spending four years in the service. There are too many benefits to ignore.
2
Hen3ry- You state the problem. The reason for it is that those who pay pay taxes to support those who do not, and now pay premiums for those who do not. It is not the "wealthcare" system. It is America. The desire (on the left) to take everyone in, allow them to not work, and pay for their healthcare. All of America wants everything done- end of life care expenses are ridiculous trying to "save" the superelderly when the care given is futile.
For costs to come down, we have to say NO to wasteful expenditures. Yes- ration. You can lower my salary to $10 a year and you will still run out of money if the dollar figure is fixed by consumption of services continues to increase.
“This takes care of the next two years,” Mr. Alexander said. “After that, we can have a full-fledged debate on where we go long-term on health care.”
Oh no, are we going to wait until the last minute, again?
9
Frankly, I would prefer something vastly different! I simply find it disgusting that "insurers" need protection. I see no valid reason their grandchildren's inheritance should depend on our meager budgets.
5
Trump has made the "fix," to Obamacare a partisan fight with his outcome acceptable only if the ACA "implodes." Never mind his contempt for it because it is a monumental achievement by President Obama, his sabotage has his and all his GOP boot licker's name on it.
Fixing and repairing the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Act is neither a democrat or republican thing; it is for the American people and their well-being. Why there are people who still do not believe that the government should have any part of guaranteeing a decent life free from worry about being covered for illness/accident in America is beyond me.
9
I'd like to know why Senator Alexander voted for the previous bills, if he thought this was such an important idea.
105
"I know, let's actually think about and debate health care", said Senator Alexander, after fully approving of procedures over the course of eight months that had no thought and no debate and showed zero interest in health.
It's improvement. Most anything would be.
Long term...its time for the US to join its fellow developed countries and provide Medicare for all..or single payer.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/09/18/upshot/best-health-care-s...
6
Go ahead Democrats. Tell 90% of Americans who get their insurance through their employers that you are going to take away the private plans that they like and put them on a government program. The Republicans will be in power forever.
Yeah Joseph, its not about doing the right thing. Its about undoing what is right for the country, eh?
This deal was in the works before; but, the GOP refused to let it get to the floor. This has nothing to do with Trump and more to do with the GOP trying to save their hides.
9
Patty Murray for President! :)
3
A solution and kicking a can are vastly different things. If it makes them feel better calling it that then at least someone is happy. So the only thing between us and the day of reckoning is an measly empty tin can? Pretty amazing, really. And all I thought they were good for was washing out paint brushes with paint thinner in.
2
"Some Republicans have said they do not wish to provide what they describe as a bailout to insurers."
Only banks and brokerages are OK, I guess. The bigger the better...
5
So, defer the problem long enough so:
1. Republicans can continue to lie in the hopes that they will not all be wiped out in the next election.
2. Democrats can install a more reasonable fix after assuming majorities in the next elections.
Win-win, perhaps.
The real problem is simple: medical expenses increase by about 14% per year for a variety of reasons while the vast majority of households are averaging about 2% per year more income. Observations:
a. this is obviously not sustainable--and the rest of the world manages better health care for a bit over half of what we spend.
b. the Republican insurance policy changes would allow the insurance companies to take about 35% of the premium dollars for profit, marketing, and administrative costs--vs. the 15% maximum for ACA qualified policies, and about 2% for medicare. Again-- it is a lie that you can have better insurance if the middlemen are taking over twice as much (or 12 times as much).
c. any backward looking funding solution will fail because of the much higher relative costs. limited block grants must deny both treatment and coverage.
d. The profit motive is just wrong when those who need care are risking their lives, and there is no price transparency and no way to do comparative shopping for medical care.
We need a reality based solution--and medicare for all is not a complete solution by any stretch of the imagination.
7
Thank God there are a few normal people left!
3
Too few, unfortunately...
I am sorry to be negative, but if this is legislative success - give me a break. Trump cuts the subsidies on Thursday unilaterally and on Tuesday he gets credit for creating the environment that allowed this bipartisan proposal to occur. All this does is restart what Trump took away several days ago with some window dressing to make it more appealing to some republicans. Although it is a good thing to do, it is because of Trump that it needed to be done which is quite different than saying Trump was a leader in bringing this about. Unless you believe up is down, down is up, etc. Winston has left the building!
224
Trump was and always will be a conman. He can't be trusted and neither can the Republicans be trusted. Their goal is to destroy ACA one way or another.
They blocked ACA every step of the way and HAVE NEVER STOPPED the demolition for a moment.
Has there ever been a party, even a conservative party, working as hard to do harm to the people? Our government is really the pits.
Sen. Murray comes home with a few crumbs, good for short term, and Democrats act as if it is a victory. Once the next election is over we will see full steam ahead for Republicans to finish the job to destroy ACA while Fake President Trump is still in office.
LBJ had his Vietnam, but he also had his great society and civil rights accomplishment. He really worked for the people too.
Trump throws the people under the bus and then goes golfing.
If we can just keep our country going while Donald Trump is President, that's all we can hope for. Resistance, little fixes, a few brave people in his cabinet, on his staff or in the Senate to stand up against him when he does stupid/dangerous stuff. Thank you Senators Murray and Alexander. It's your turn this time.
5
Time will tell what this means. While it is remarkable to see some bipartisan work being done, I expect the right wing and our impulse-ridden president may say or do things to sabotage anything good that may come of it.
2
The headline should state that it was Mitch McConnell who shut down the bipartisan effort. He did it to make one last attempt to repeal the ACA (thank you, John McCain, for ending that saga). Trump just perpetuated the injustice by claiming he would not be interested in establishing funding for the CSR's unless there was funding for his border wall and anti-immigrant programs included with it. This is not just a Trump problem. This is a crisis manufactured by the Republican leadership, including McConnell, Ryan, and Trump.
5
The headline should state that the compromise is necessary because a federal district judge has ruled that transferring funds from the Treasury to pay the subsidies is unconstitutional. The House of Representative never appropriated the funds. The Department of Justice advised Trump last week to comply with the court order. Senators Alexander and Murray hope they can coax the House into appropriating the funds, thus making the payments constitutional.
2
The judge who ruled that making payments to subsidize the premiums of lower income people was unconstitutional simultaneously issued a judicial stay to allow the payments to continue while other matters involving the program were being adjudicated. As such, it was legal and in the interest of the public to continue to make the payments. Trump and Sessions ignored the full scope of the judge's actions and used the part that served their wishes to justify halting the payments.
2
Judge Rosemary Collyer granted an abeyance to give the Justice Department time to appeal, but the Justice Department has decided not to appeal. It agrees with the ruling. The House of Representatives' "Power of the Purse" is at the heart of the checks and balances system.
Health insurance companies are useless middlemen that drain away money that should be used for health care into profit margins. That is why I belong to Kaiser Permanente a non-profit HMO here in California. Signal payer like Medicare is the way to go.
6
Thank you to Senators Murray and Alexander, and once again Trump is completely full of it, perhaps because he's still trying to sell the same tired old Republican dogma or perhaps because he simply does not understand much of anything about the present health-care system:
1. The deal is not a solution at all -- it is a desperate, last-minute repair to something Trump willfully and maliciously broke, an agreement that kicks the can down the road for two years. It does not solve the problem of knee-jerk far-right ideologues seeking to destroy a program that while needing improvements is successfully serving tens of millions of people. It does not solve the problem of far-righters clinging to the illogical canard that CSRs somehow are bail-outs for insurance companies.
2. Block grants -- another of Paul Ryan's really bad, factually unsupportable ideas that won't go away -- are not part of any solution. They are chunks of money that go to states with no requirement that the money actually be spent on health care and no mechanism to ensure that they won't fall woefully short of meeting the actual need.
The Republicans had seven years to come up with a coherent alternative to the ACA and couldn't. They now have two more years, if Congressional far-righters don't set the Murray-Alexander agreement on fire. If they can't even go along with a temporary bipartisan patch, they don't leave much hope for the return of rational, responsible government.
2
Why are we taxpayres subsidizing (ie. giving money to) health INSURANCE providers and NOT health CARE providers? Do health insurance companies like United Healthcare, etc. need more money while hospitals and clinics are closing all over the country?
10
It's amazing when Reagan Republicans like Lamar Alexander, John McCain and Bob Corker are the sane members of the GOP.
3
The Republican Congress has already missed several significant legislative deadlines, including raising the debt ceiling, reauthorizing CHIP (which the Republicans want to do with taking away money from Medicare and the ACA), only providing a 6 month extension of the reauthorization of the FAA, etc.
Now they want to hand out billions in tax cuts to millionaires as a priority.
While this bipartisan action is welcome, it depends on any poison pills added to it.
So coming up government deadline triggers include Trump's Wall, ACA sabotage, fights between "mainstream" Republicans and extremists, whatever is going on between McConnell and Trump (including Trump illegally asking McConnell to protect him from the Russian investigation). Is this a Sit Down and Shut Up moment where Republicans want to silence the other party, or is it a Stand Up and Shut Down moment coming soon?
republicans will pass it It is insurance for them They were in fear of being out of a job if they're up for reelection in 2018. Front page stories like the one about the small city in Arkansas is specifically spelling out the cost of cutting off the subsidies!! We need more reports of how vital the ACA is to people who live in states that Trump won!
1
End the insanity and inhumanity. Medicare for All.
9
The idea that cost saving reductions are "bailouts" or "lining the pockets of insurers" is absurd. CSRs are just reimbursements for payments the insurers must make by law under the ACA: they don't increase company profits or bail insurers out of anything. The effect of cutting them off, as Trump did, is to increase premiums as the insurers are allowed to do without CSRs. Who would pay those increases? Upper middle class people who buy without tax subsidies in the ACA marketplaces...and the very same government that was paying the CSRs in the first place, because marketplace buyers receive tax subsidies based on income not premiums.
3
For those opposed to the ACA, here’s an opt-out plan: 1) You can make an annual election, irrevocable for 1 year, & agree that no medical provider will be obligated to provide you with health care under any circumstances unless you have registered proof of your ability to pay all of your own medical expenses. If so elected, you agree that you may not file suit for failure to provide medical treatment to you. 2) You agree to pay an annual $50 fee for the costs of emergency services. 3) You agree to provide a DNA sample which will be entered into a registry to be used by medical staff to verify your identity & your election status.
Further details to be worked out, but you don’t have the health insurance you say you don’t want & society will not be burdened with your inevitable medical expenses.
I cringe at the thought of just letting people die, but then it’s not so different than what will result from the Trump/GOP healthcare proposals and recent actions, so if that’s what you want, go for it. Be sure to tell your Congressman this is what you want & to add it to the kind of good & affordable healthcare plan desired by the majority of Americans.
1
Most Americans already do what your propose by paying their health insurance premiums. Health care providers made sure you have the ability to pay by asking for your health insurance cards before providing treatment.
This band-aid does nothing to address the spiraling costs of health care, the fact that we still don't have the entire population covered, we have dismal long term health results compared to any other civilized country, medical bankruptcy is the leading cause of personal bankruptcy, many insurance premiums are more costly than a house mortgage, and the medical industrial complex continues to rake in millions in profit on the backs of the sick and aged.
Not very encouraging.
107
So true. I dropped out of buying insurance - caught in the squeeze of making too much for a subsidy (which I don't want - I want the prices controlled) and the spiraling out of control premiums and deductibles. Finally last year I said, enough. I have no insurance right now. Used to have a good policy canceled by the ACA, for these new 'gold-plated' ones that are hideously expensive for the middle class. Totally agree with your points. How do we get the costs down - that's where the issue lies!
1
1. Dismal long term health results? What planet are you on? We have the best results anywhere. Just not the most cost effective. Eliminate futile care (like my ICU patient now whose family screams 'do everything, he's a fighter' despite the fact that he has no mental status) and the denominator of expenditures goes way down.
2. Not everyone is covered- of course not. We have a huge illegal immigrant problem and they clog our ER. Who wants to pay more to cover them? We also have people who do not want to use money for insurance, people who refuse to work etc....
3. Medical bankruptcy- yes, an issue.... but if you abide by the law (ACA) this should never happen, oh and you shouldn't embark on massive expenditures for futile care.
4. Insurance premiums are sky high SINCE THE ACA. Mine have doubled. Never did that before.
5. Profits- yes, some make too much money. Doctors work for free in many cases, care is expensive, patients want everything and don't want out of pocket expenses. Free market would fix this IF the govt backed out. Right now they pay for everything (medicare and medicaid do). Why would a pharma company lower costs if medicaid is willing to pay everything. Don't regulate them- just say "Nope, not paying." Prices will come down quick when the huge numbers of patients no longer get that drug.
This is all complicated. But people expect everything. Life does have to end, and care along the way is expensive. Decide what we want, and make everyone pay for it.
1
The only way to do that, as virtually every other country discovered long ago, is to remove the insurance industry from the process and provide national health coverage to all citizens. In Japan. it's based on your ability to pay, so those in work subsidize pensioners and those less well off, there is no deductable, but there is a 30% co-pay to prevent people clogging the system. I`ve never paid more than $400 a month for a family of 4, and I`m in a high tax bracket; office visits w/ meds usually run $20-30. We are also able to obtain medication on national health that would be prohibitively expensive in the US. Doctors in national hospitals here are public servants, and all but the most senior make less than $100,000 a year - which would probably put paid to any US doctor endorsing a system that is in many ways much more equitable. There are also doctors in private practice, but they all (except cosmetic surgeons) accept national health insurance.
I'm receiving a $200 monthly subsidy for my insurance. Am I taking lavish vacations on the savings? No! Quit talking about subsidies only in relation to insurance company profits. This subsidy helps cover my often triple-digit co-pays and ever-rising deductibles.
4
Patty Murray. Now that is a take- charge, just do the work, dependable, honorable PERSON. SHE is what a real leader looks like, and works like. Our answer to Merkel. Just saying.
5
Republicans allow a band aid to get them thru the mid-term elections and retain power. Honestly, I think the majority of them are only interested in staying in power rather than serving the common good.
Common good. Totally alien concept to today's GOP.
2
As an agreement between a prominent Democrat and a prominent Republican, it's safe to say this "deal" represents the will of the vast majority of the American people. Trump says he supports it? It's likely doomed.
The compromise is necessary because a federal district judge has ruled the transferring fund from the Treasury to pay the subsidies is unconstitutional. The problem is that the House of Representative never appropriated the funds. The Department of Justice advised Trump last week to comply with the court order. Senators Alexander and Murray hope the compromise they propose will coax the House into appropriating the funds, thus making the payments constitutional.
1
Thanks to Senators Alexander and Murray for their leadership on this issue. They are trying their best to help the American public and their efforts are greatly appreciated.
2
Lock them up!
This is a good start. But lock these 2 senators in a room and don't let them out until they reach a permanent, bipartisan solution. Let them each choose 3-4 more from their own party to help. There's hope for us yet.
3
Trump wants block grants for private insurance? If private insurance were affordable, there never would have been a need for Obamacare.
7
Please, elected legislative body, just compromise. Compromise. Compromise. It's short term. It won''t last forever. It would be such a blessing for us citizens if you could just do this very hard thing for you that we need so much.
1
A bipartisan band-aid and the health care insurance can kicked down the road once again. Of course, none of this would have been necessary if Bone Spurs had not acted in a fit of pique last week.
4
Sounds like a short-term solution just to get past the 2018 mid-term elections.
3
Don't celebrate yet. Congress still has to vote on this bipartisan solution.
There is a real incentive for the Republicans to prevent disaster until after 2018 elections. There is a real incentive for level headed Senators to work together to protect the country from the assault from the oval office by F.M. Trump.
1
How much will regulations be "eased"?
2
Compromises only anger the baby. Best not.
1
Whether you agree with the subsidies or not, surely complying with the law is the only way to solve this dilemma. Trump refusing to willy-nilly make the payments and require Congress to deal with it in accordance with the law was the right thing to do. In my view, this was the same rationale as with DACA.
The only thing that will bring real 'action' and solve this health care "issue" --- along with all other "issues', 'symptom-problems', all the existing and/or expanding wars, and our entire "ailing social order" [Zygmunt Bauman] --- is to non-violently overcome this Disguised Global Capitalist Empire, which is nominally HQed in, and merely 'posing' as, our former country.
It's past time for at least the most informed portion of 'we the American people' to fire a; loud, public, sustained, 'in the streets', but totally non-violent "Shout (not shot) heard round the world" to ignite an essential Second American people's patriotic peaceful "Political Revolution Against Empire" [Justine duRivage]
If Tom had taken the paine to edit Pat's shout it would have been "Give me Liberty (over Empire) or Give me Death"!
3
I think our President has so much hatred and jealousy towards Black President Obama that he will do what it takes to take down Obamacare regardless of who it hurts.
8
This despicable man doesn't want a deal. He has no understanding of any of this legislation and has neither the intelligence nor work ethic to learn anything about it. He just wants to destroy Obama's most important good work out of pure spite
8
I don't think trashing a system so it inevitably collapses is the proper way to force legislation. Being unnecessarily cruel and dangerous isn't "negotiating" it's just unnecessarily cruel and dangerous ... and moronic.
6
I am shocked by the Senators from Tennessee, both Corker and Alexander want to allow for a chance to stop the frantic non sense we have been witnessing.
Social science illustrates that Tennessee is a sleeper potential Blue state. Like Texas with D/FW, Houston, San Antonio and Austin being urban centers edging toward more Progressive attitudes, Republicans must become more adaptive in voters minds.
Nashville, Memphis, and Knoxville need to see something more than what Trump, Cruz etc have been dealing. The idea of a bipartisan fixing of the ACA together to put the American people out front while a longer view is built feels sensible.
Mr. Trump should not pretend himself into the process. Thank You Tennessee. With all due respect keep Marsha Blackburn off that Senate ballot.
5
Leslie: I would not count on Tennessee turning blue anytime soon. Corker and Alexander are traditional republicans, more like Senator Baker who first broke the Democrats hold on both Tennessee Senate seats. Trump carried Tennessee with 61.1% of the vote, a higher percentage than either McCain or Romney. Tennessee was firmly part of FDR's coalition for decades but no longer.
Marsha will likely be the GOP's candidate for Corker's seat but she is at least potentially beatable by a moderate. She is so extreme, a true believer with a strong reactionary tilt. She is also my representative. I voted for Corker, but have never and will never vote for Marsha.
Nashville and Memphis have been and will likely continue to be the Democrat strongholds. East Tennessee has been republican since the Civil War, having voted for Lincoln and against secession. The Democrats have to field a candidate with a platform that appeals to the rural voters. Clinton and Gore carried Tennessee twice but the state has been moving deeper and deeper into solid and reliable GOP territory since that time.
In my earlier years, the working class viewed the republicans as for the rich and not much for anything else. If the Democrats could craft something sensible and appealing to rural voters, some of them will come back. For the reasonably foreseeable future, the Democrats are viewed as coastal elites, more concerned about issues that do not relate to jobs and economic stagnation for the middle class.
"As one part of the deal, the subsidies would be funded for two years, a step that would provide at least short-term certainty to insurers."
This is great news -- because two years from now, almost every Republican who is up for re-election will be out of office - and possibly applying for low-cost health insurance for themselves and their families...
4
I see a number of comments that this compromise proposal is a bailout of the insurance companies and will add to the deficit.
The CBO estimates the insurance premiums will rise about 20% next year due to Trump's decision to terminate those premiums and the federal deficit would go up $200B over ten years.
First, the CSR payments are not insurance company bailouts but are intended to help lower and middle income families, who purchase the silver plan, with their deductible and co-pays. This is done by lower the maximum out-of-pocket expenses that have to be paid before 100% coverage.
Without the CSR payments, the insurance companies would have to raise premiums for all silver plan purchasers, including for those individuals and households who do not qualify for the tax credit or the cost sharing benefit.
The costs to the federal government would rise since most people, who receive financial assistance, do so through the tax credits that will rise with the premium increases until the subsidies exceed .504% of GDP under section 1401 of the PPACA (called the Failsafe provision added through budget reconciliation). Then the tax credits would increase by the inflation rate.
I had difficulty understanding why the republicans were rejoicing by Trump's action to terminate CSR payments, which would dramatically increase both premiums for middle class families and the budget deficit compared to continuing those payments.
1
I wasn't rejoicing; I was actually saddened that it took this action by the President to spur the do nothing congress to action. Everyone is blaming the President when it is congress that is the culpable party. Many republicans could care less if the ACA is repaired or fixed. Sadly the forgotten people are the middle class who don't qualify for subsidies and who's premiums and co-pays are astronomical.
The subsidies are designed primarily to help the middle class, though there would be some who considered themselves in that classification who make to much.
See tables at
https://www.healthinsurance.org/obamacare/will-you-receive-an-obamacare-...
There were serious problems with health insurance premiums before Obamacare which I experienced first hand. I have always had to pay out-of-pocket for health insurance.
The problem is that there is no rational and sensible cost control mechanisms, and medical expenses have risen at a far faster rate than inflation. 10% to 30% increases were commonplace for me prior to Obamacare.
Rather than imposing some sensible control over the parabolic increases in medical expenses, America has opted to encourage out of control spending increases by providing ever increasing pools of funds that healthcare providers can tap at their leisure. The system is inefficient.
I seriously doubt that Trump terminated CSR payments because he wanted this temporary fix. He was instead pandering to his core voters IMO. If this short term fix is not approved, and that is likely IMO due to GOP opposition, he will be fine in ending the CSR payments which the GOP has refused to fund since it gained control over the House.
The government claimed in its recent CPI report that health insurance rose .1% Y-O-Y through September, which is a laugh at loud number.
https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.t02.htm
I have voted for both Senators Alexander and Corker, viewing them as traditional conservatives who are now characterized in a derogatory fashion as "mainstream" republicans by the reactionary forces that now control the modern day GOP and its leader.
Personally, I think that the GOP has been moving the U.S. closer to a single payer system through its Holy War against Obamacare.
That will not happen anytime soon, to be sure, but the likelihood has probably increased into the 25% to 50% range within 10 to 15 years and more probable for each year thereafter. Eventually, the Democrats will gain control and the republicans will be unable to influence events, howling in the wind being their only option.
I certainly favor the short term fix proposed by my Senator compared to the continued chaos and instability on this issue. As I understand it, the deal amounts to an agreement in principal to continue the CSR payments for 2 years, to restore $100M in funding for the Obamacare outreach program (or more broadly what Senator Schumer called an anti-Trump sabotage provision); and a provision, not yet written, that will make it easier for states to obtain waivers. (E.G. Alaska and Minnesota want to use federal funds to buy reinsurance that they claim will lower premiums)
I would question whether this agreement will pass the House. I doubt it.
2
If Trump really wants to give the American people a great health care program, as he promised, and cement his place as a great President, as he continuously tells us he is, he'll get on board the Bernie wagon and give us universal health care. Not likely but still a long shot possibility. If he doesn't, maybe the next
Congress will.
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If the agreement Alexander/Murray goes through, it is short term, just as the fake president said, it will help to get the Republicans over the obstacle in the road of the next election, after that, they go to work to finish ACA for good.
OK, some bipartisanship, finally - that's a good thing.
Short term solution ? That's good enough for me now, given the partisan craziness across the the land (and in our Congress).
Next step ? Medicare option as part of the mix. Let's see how many people would want their employer plans if Medicare were available.
Long term solution? Medicare option for all, and let the market sort everything out.
4
Per the article's caveat about GOP conservatives: if the "flexibility" provision is reasonable, the deal likely wouldn't need a single far-right vote in either chamber to pass. The only question would be whether House leadership would allow it come to a vote.
"bailout to insurers." ha. In reality, a bailout to worse-than-useless GOP members of Congress. To save their hides in the next election, and nothing else. The American public be damned.
Um... so basically, Trump ended the subsidies and then applauded himself when two members of Congress found a way to put them back? This man really is a moron.
9
He did force them to act. Same thing with Dreamers. Trump keeps testing the Republicans. Not necessarily a bad thing.
2
Federal Judge ruled that subsiidies were illegsl because President Obama does not get the keys to the bank vault. Congress has them.
This is a bipartisan proposal. Now let's see if it is treated with respect, brought up for consideration and discussed . I'll be taking names of Democrats or Republicans who try to obstruct rather than work on a solution. Republicans can still do repeal and replace if they can come up with a plan that passes muster. Democrats can still come up with a more far reaching plan to repair Obamacare or find something better. The rest of us can hang onto our health insurance until until further notice.
A small reasonable step toward bipartisan governing. This is a counter to the GOP ( Genocide of Poor ) plan put forth for months by the right and Drump.
The entire system as envisioned by conservatives is designed to reduce the numbers of poor and minorities through early preventable deaths of tens of thousands a year. They (GOP) know their rich supporters always have access to the best care money can buy. The key to that phrase "money can buy". No money...die sucker.
Sadly the typical republican voter is among those slated for early death as well but they just don't want to see it coming.
http://expendableamericans.com
The legislatve branch should stop bickering over a solution altering what happens in society. After considering both ends of the spectrum those involved in corruption should be held accountable.
Once again the people are not the priority. The priority is the deal, the politics, who wins the battle in Washington. What a bunch of elitist blind men.
2
Find out the Republican position on this attempt: call the party leader, Bannon, and ask him.
2
Lol, right!! Two Senators reach agreement and according to the nyt, it's a deal?
By the time Trump gets done with these two and the rest of the phonies in Congress he will have negotiated for and won FULL financing for the wall as well as carving up subsidies to Ins Companies so as to be meaningless.
Trump as usual plays chess while the hapless left the and the nyt play checkers.
I bet a million dollars the president could not set up a chess board.
5
In a word to the GOP: pathetic.
You complained about the ACA for 7 YEARS - you have NO idea what to do now that you're in power. None? What's that, you need another 2 years - that's so strange, just around the time of the next election.
I guess campaigning against the ACA worked so well, might as well keep it around another 2 years so you can repeat again.
Get us over the hump? The "hump" we need to get over, Comrade Trump, is you. Two years should be more than enough time for that.
3
"Compromise? That's for losers"
- The Fool on (Capitol) Hill
1
we still have good people in our country, as l wrote to NYT before , if they take out OBAMA's name from this health plan l am pretty sure that Trump will live the whole think alone, l do not understand why Trump dislike Obama so much, nut also his followers too so l will say because of his skin color and his middle name is Hussein that makes him a Muslim, of course this can not be excepted , and we are in 2017 , it is sad sad but this is not only in our country but all over in our world why l do not know
I don't know why in that lower hot place the press has never been able to simply refer to the health law by its actual name - it's really not that difficult. The "I hate Obamacare but love the Affordable Care Act" lines from the lower-info folks stemmed directly from the press's action ... and not just Fox.
1
Notice how Lamar Alexander is taking the PR lead.
Folks, this deal was crafted by Patty Murray. She was able previously to cajole that juvenile, Paul Ryan, into a tax deal under Obama. And the blow dried press, of course, gave the credit to Ryan.
Remember, Lamar Alexander was the Rob Portman of Tennessee, always hinting that he might vote against Trump's goofy and immoral scorched earth jihad against Obamacare, but always falling in line when it came to the vote.
The difference that has made the difference?
Patty Murray.
Patty Murray is Hillary Clinton without the baggage.
Though I don't for a moment blame Hillary Clinton for the baggage she had to carry.
Only someone as indiscriminately catty as Maureen Dowd would do that.
Hey, let's wait to see if Maureen writes something positive about Murray, you know, like the way she drooled over Schwarzeneger when he ran for Governor of California. What a guy, boffing the nanny while Maureen celebrated his virtues!
Murray?
Not sexy enough for Maureen. She doesn't wear Blahniks.
7
I await the inevitable tweet from our failing, dangerous President who, just days ago was, and probably still is, opposed to any subsidies providing health care for those who can't afford it:
@congress Great victory for me. Fake, failing congress couldn't do anything. Phony Mitch and Dumb Paul too scared to act. I forced issue and -- YES! -- they finally did something. #GoodButPathetic
Republicans refused to work on healthcare with the Democrats during the Obama Administration. It took a madman, well on his way to destroying the country, to bring them to the table. Shameful.
5
Trump could not explain this solution if he was provided a open book test format. His new nickname should be IQ 45.. The senators went around him and told his handlers to tell him to just shut his mouth for 48 hours. Put a pacifier in his mouth and have a bottle ready when he starts crying.
He would fail a 9th grade civics test as would most of his "base"
2
And guess who will be taking credit for fixing healthcare?
I’m sick. sick, physically & mentally.
Old, alone, hungry, depressed, vertigo, concussed brain from domestic violence, PTSD from years of sexual abuse by my father then teachers then husband (an Army major Green Beret Ranger MilitaryIntelligence throw me across the room & choke me officer before abandoning his wife & small daughters. who forced me to get an abortion alone because, of course, he opposed as a Catholic but needed his wife available for instant sex while refusing participation in birth control. A man who skipped child support, eventually sent checks that bounced & had to have his salary garnished. He quit the Army to avoid that & spent all his retirement asap so as not to share.
It was hard doing it all alone, legally, working f/t, skipping meals so the girls could eat & have clothes. Worth it- they are functioning working adults.
What now? the ‘60s, 70s, 80s, 90s all working thru trauma. Biden helped with his domestic violence work. Bill Clinton with the Family Leave Act.
Obama gave me Hope. Hope and inspiration are powerful.
Hillary gave me inspiration from her years of hard work, fortitude & intelligence.
There’s no hope now. There’s no inspiration.
There’s certainly no leadership. This morning I thought, we’re being terrorized. Terrorized by this president.
Is there a point?
will we all suffer for *this*??
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We need cameras in all homes, schools, and businesses. Humans are just violent animals unless they are supervised and controlled by something or someone, with a few exceptions.
Don't give up, Jeanne. Your kids will love you for all you've done. And Democrats are fighting back. Maybe things will change in 2018. Be sure to vote for the people who will give us health care.
2
bravo - well said.
2
Senators would do nothing without decisive action by President Trump. The ObamaCare taxpayer subsidies to Big Insurance were deemed unconstitutional by the courts; Obama broke the law. Many of the arrogant Obama executive fiats are unconstitutional and destructive to the USA. ObamaCare is a grand fraud built on lies told repeatedly by Obama, Dems and left-media. ObamaCare hurts more than it helps; destroying our health care system, driving costs through the roof, and adding trillions to our national debt. Obamacare is NOT health care, it is government mandated insurance that increases government power, Wallstreet wealth and Big Insurance profits at the expense of the harder working American taxpayers. Thank God for President Trump’s efforts to restore sanity, fairness and the rule of law into the bloated and corrupt Obama-Clinton government. Drain that swamp.
1
I pray it is so. If healthcare is funded... Hallelujah!!!
Don't tell me crooked lying Trump didn't know that bipartisan talks (Alexander-Murray) about healthcare insurance were underway...while he was active sabotaging Obamacare. This vulgar racist in chief, all he wants really, is erase Obama's name from the face of this Earth, given that Obama is infinitely better than egomaniac, and spiteful, Trump (an incompetent sexual predator seeking applause).
2
Federal District Court Judge Rosemary Collyer ruled that withdrawing funds from the Treasury to pay the subsidies was unconstitutional because the House of Representatives never appropriated the funds. Last week, the Justice Department advised Trump he must comply with the ruling by stopping the payments. If it works, the compromise will make the subsidy payments constitutional.
1
This seems like a long shot for three reasons. (1) While Trump may describe this as a 'temporary' extension of ACA subsides, there's a decent chance Republicans will no longer hold both, or even one, house in congress by the time this expires in two years. Republicans know this and must realize that if this passes, they may never again get a chance to repeal and replace. The can will be kicked further down the legislative road to a spot where Democrats are likely to hold more influence. (2) Paul Kill Entitlements Ryan may not even bring it to the House floor since it means giving government funds to the people to help them pay for insurance. (3) There is a moron in the White House; he may just refuse to sign it if he's in a bad mood the day they put it on his desk, or if someone on Fox and Friends says he shouldn't, or if there's no money for his wall tied to it.
3
Most Republicans in the House of Representatives would feed their own children through a wood chipper to please The Donald. No matter what the Senate proposes it will not get through the House.
A more namby-pamby, spineless, bunch of amoral pseudo christians have never walked the earth. If you think you can count on the Republican lead House of Representatives doing what's right or fair then you are not paying attention.
6
If Trump had a mustache, would he be twirling while exclaiming, "Curses, foiled again!"
1
This is a test of Trump's resolve to obliterate the memory of Barack Obama, who dissed him at a comedy dinner.
Does it strike anyone as ODD that what's holding up Health Care has nothing to do with Medicine but more to do with profit? The insurers are middle men, never set a broken bone or started an IV but they somehow have the gun to Americans' heads to pay up or stay sick. What's going on here is a deliberate effort to keep Health Care privatized as opposed to government controlled. The concept of a collectivized method for maintaining Health Care is what scares the B-Jesus out of our representatives. Dump the middle men paper pushers who aren't involved with treatment but want to profit from it, hire back all the same crucial positions save overpaid administrators and profiteering Wall St investors and the billions in easy money falling into their laps to lower premiums and deductibles and hold off the mega lobbies that aren't anyone but their own friends. The Heath Care Industrial Complexes' insatiable appetite for profit is the problem ... and everybody knows it but out here, we're just hornets buzzing around inside this jar and there's nothing we can do about it but ...write our congressman.
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It's pretty obvious that you and others don't know much about how capitalism works. Profits are the way to ensure that a customer gets the best service for the best price. In private company nobody gets paid very long if the customer isn't happy and the company doesn't make money. Contrast that with the government. A bureaucrat gets paid regardless of the quality of the service that he/she provides. That individual also doesn't care about the cost of the service because its not coming out of his/her paycheck and besides if there is a shortfall the government will just borrow more or raise taxes. Just look at the bureaucrats that cooked the books at the VA.
Ever watch 60 Minutes? Every year they have a segment on government fraud and waste. Last year medicare and medicaid wasted over $200B, which is far more than the total annual profits of the all the insurance companies. Take the SSA, they admit they send the 10% to 12% of total SS checks to the wrong people, people that don't qualify, or people that are dead. You have a lot to learn about how private companies work and the so called benevolence of government.
Have you ever gotten any positive results from writing your Congressman? I haven't. It's a waste of time and energy.
Tell me more about the competence of GM,Chrysler Harley Davidson ....the list goes on.
The Republicans have been very clear: no bailout for insurers even if people die, even if a huge sector of our economy collapses and brings the rest down with it. Their goal is straight up market manipulation with the Trumps and their billionaire pals moving into the Trillionaire category.
Some Democrats and well meaning Republicans sign up for deals with AWFUL unpredicted outcomes. Example: Amy Klobuchar's moronic statement about opening up H1b numbers instead of fixing H1b abuse. Thank god she was unsuccessful.
Susan Collins statement about making full time employees 40 hours (instead of 30) in the ACA. Her idea would have stripped healthcare from the entire country who would all have been reduced to 39 hours.
Congress puts their pants on one leg at a time. They (and our Prez) are not Gods, but humans. Lately they screw up far more often then they succeed.
5
I am so sick of this idiot calling himself a leader and destroying everything
Anyone tries to help others.
I think the number of citizens who want him permanently stopped is growing by leaps and bounds.Damn him and anything he wants!!!!!
10
There are many people 'so sick of this idiot.' Thankfully they still have the ACA.
2
dt still talks "block grants" -- with no answer for this question: what happens to state block grants when the next hurricane hits? Hello Harvey & Houston.
9
The best path forward is to ignore the Beast who occupies the Oval Office.
12
A possible compromise to prevent disaster, for two years??? Whatever is coming up in THAT time period that would allow this Miracle??? How about losing your so-called JOBS, GOP. 2018- VOTE them OUT.
17
I have confidence in Patty Murray, who really cares about people and not just scoring points, to try to come up with something that a majority of moderates across the aisle should be able to support as a temporary stabilization of the market - too bad Trump had to create chaos first.
8
In taking a cold political calculus how does this deal help the democrats in 2018/2020. The healthcare markets where going to implode due to the CSR's being cancelled and Trump and the GOP were going to get blamed.
With this agreement Trump will take the credit for stabilizing the healthcare markets and his base will lap it up.
1
You may be correct if the House republicans back this but that seems unlikely and no chance it comes to pass before the next payments are due so back to square one.
It is apparent in reading many of these comments that few posting here having anything to lose given their all or nothing postures. If you are currently on the exchanges, if you get your health insurance on the private market (self-employed or employer doesn't offer insurance but you make too much to get a subsidy), or you are pregnant and the baby is due next year (oops - means your health insurance will skyrocket, if you can afford it at all, just when baby comes), you might be in dire straights if you fall into one the above groups. Let's not allow both sides to harm people just because they can't get everything they want right now. On this one, I'm siding with the grownups.
8
Actually your Health Insurance won't skyrocket if you "are pregnant and the baby us due" ..that is one of the 11 Essential Health benefits of the ACA. Also your premium is based on a community rating, so everyone in your age group pays the same premium (even if they are expecting a baby).
Finally, if you have an expensive or complicated delivery, your insurance will cover it , and you won't be subject to arbitrary benefit caps, or later exclusion for pre-existing conditions. In other words, the ACA covers these conditions, as explained by the Jimmy Kimmel test.
So, a temporary stay of execution. Now I know how it feels to be on death row.
What does "more flexibility in the variety of choices they can give to consumers" mean, exactly? Let's hope that doesn't mean junk insurance and separating out those with pre-existing conditions into high-risk pools. My experience has been if you've ever been to the doctor for anything, you have a pre-existing condition. Even my twenty-something son had a kidney stone a few years ago. He's been fit and healthy since. But, his father died of prostate cancer at a relatively young age. Will my son be cherry-picked out of affordable insurance because of this history?
And what about the astronomical cost of medical care? Will that ever be addressed?
It was a lot more fun when we played kick-the-can as kids. And, even though we were kids, we totally got it that this was nothing more than a game.
Get it?
117
No one will address medical costs: doctors and hospitals pay the politicians too much. And, most folks think that the insurance companies over charge but they only add a percentage on the exorbitant costs.
1
itsmildeyes is correct to be cautious regarding the use of "more flexibility in the variety of choices they can give to consumers." Choice usually does infer less comprehensive benefits possibly causing increased costs for those with preexisting conditions.
I will need to study this and hear more. However shoring up the insurance market now is essential.
Ultimately this nation will need to recognize that an illness or an accident could easily bankrupt most of us due to many factors, technology being one. Comprehensive coverage is not an extravagance.
Not to ignore the work of Senators Patty Murray and Lamar Alexander, I extend my thank you to both. The debate will continue should this agreement be finally approved. It will then be the public who must become as informed as possible to allow the United States to finally provide the financial and health security that most other industrialized nations have somehow managed to approve.
At some point Trump supporters will see the emptiness of his entire theory of "government" and of "truth". Government means (to him) getting without giving, and Truthfulness means saying anything to sell an idea. Everything pivots over his being praised and lauded for being a Winner! If millions suffer, so what??? I'm here to win. The health of the nation (to Trump) is to demean a hard-working, thoughtful President who dared to think that the health of ALL Americans is important.
4
The Abominable Care Act aka Romney Care needs to be done in for Universal Single Payer AKA albeit with restrictions... IMO.
Socialism is the economy of choice for advanced countries. Along with Pacifism.
6
Of course but first you have to decide where the money comes from to fund universal care. How about the Pentagon for starters?
The vote on the Alexander-Murry legislation -- if Speaker Ryan and Majority Leader McConnell permit a vote -- will be the Republican's moment of truth on the Affordable Care Act. If they vote yes, these Republicans will allow millions of people to keep health insurance. If they vote no, they individually and as a group have enacted Trumpcare.
We will soon learn whether the GOP is so ideological that they would rather commit political suicide than provide health care to the poorest of us.
Fortunately, we are more than a year from the next election. Every voter will know how this turns out by November 2018.
5
We wouldn't need a short term solution if trump had not ended the subsidies. Trump is evil.
10
If this goes through wait for Trump to immediately take credit for it.
4
Shame on the NYT for this headline. For the headline to characterize these subsidies as something Trump cut off is to ignore the ruling by the courts that declared them illegal. (Ironically your previous reporting has helped me understand this.) Please, this is very good news; but to wrap it in disingenuous language is not helpful to those that would like to see this important fix brought across the finish line.
1
NYT and other news media hate Trump so much, much more than health insurance companies and providers, even if that means giving free money to health insurers who will make patients pay thousands of dollars for deductibles before paying out anything, and will deny payments to doctors and hospitals.
The Supreme Court has not ruled on this issue. It's controversial; both sides can be argued. Furthermore, sometimes there are higher standards of right and wrong than what a court or courts say. Sometimes what is legal is wrong and what is illegal is right. Depriving people of affordable health care is wrong.
Thank you Senator Alexander.
4
So, two senators reached an agreement that accomplishes something for real American citizens in need. But the Congress where they serve doesn't "do" accomplishment. Congress's self-created job description is to sandbag accomplishment. Mitch McConnell is the Sandbag-in-Chief. If, somehow, the Murray-Alexander initiative manages to come to the floor for a vote, President Trump is ready with his gravel pit as back-up.
2
Now the insurance companies just got Christmas in October. They ALREADY raised the premiums because of the uncertainty in healthcare, NOW they are going to get subsidies on top of the extra $$$$ they will get from raising premiums, guaranteed by Congress today?? Wow.
106
The subsidies go to the lower economic American citizens ( human citizens) who purchase health care on an ACA exchange. That the government gives the purchaser’s subsidy directly to the insurance company does not make it a subsidy to the insurance company.
Oh, and the increase in the insurance rates? That blame can be directly placed on Trump, whose rhetoric and lack of a plan created the health insurance marketplace uncertainty, resulting in the premium increases
1
Wrong. they raised the premiums because of the uncertainty introduced by the R's chaotic opposition. The subsidy is to compensate the care for low income people. The money goes back to the doctors.
One small problem, the appropriation must originate and be past first by the house of representatives. This so called deal is going no where.
3
No corporate bailouts, eh? Pres. Trump, have you looked at your party's tax "reform" program?
4
That is correct, Mr. Trump, it is a short-term solution. But fret not: you are likely be a short-term president.
We should be able to reach a more permanent solution soon.
9
Trump wants credit for EVERYTHING, even his losses are wins. There is so much "winning" you can hardly stand it.
4
I view this news with a cynical eye. Thankfully it preserves health insurance in the short-term, but we have to look at this government to see what's in it for them. Republicans largely dropped the pretense that they govern for the people once 45 was handed the head seat at the table. The 2-year band-aid takes us to 2019 when presidential candidacies will be in full swing. The success or failure of this temporary strategy will be used by one side or the other as proof of the success or failure of the other. Prime finger pointing fodder. Coincidental? I think not.
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It gets them beyond the midterms. Having millions of Trump supporters knowing their losing health insurance wouldn't fare well next year.
2
I regret being Mr. Cynical, but I doubt any good can come out of Washington, D.C., especially at this time. Big Government does seem, in spite of itself, to be a money-power magnet, which draws in vultures of all stripes and species, who contaminate, twist, and ruin any benefit. And now the nuts are running the asylum. It had to happen sooner or later: That's the danger of centralized power.
Cynicism is the correct way to look at nearly all Republicans in congress. For those who are unsure of the definition, it means believing that someone is motivated only by self interest. How could anyone who has been following our politics closely for the last few years not understand this about these republicans?
They get an A for Politics Survival 101; Kick the can down the road"
They get Fs for the followong:
Good Governance 101.
Preamble Basics 102 Undestanding the Preamble and its Spirit & Mandates.
Ethics and morality 103 Making all laws equally and faily applicable for the grester good of yhe nstion.
Compassion 104 Both basic and universal.
17
Your right but in administration of hate.they. They carried the banner of decency for us who have no,voice and had those pre-existing conditions like cancer, I applaud them for caring and fighting hard for little people like me and I thank god everyday I am,not in Puerto Rico where the government has shown there hatred in full force because we just don't care for,anyone who is not the base.
In the hapless world of Trump we now live in this is obviously the right thing to do. But really?? More welfare for insurance companies already taking their pound of flesh for a basic human right??!! Medicare for all....NOW.
7
Indeed. Universal health care for all.
1
Everybody thought a few weeks ago Obamacare was the " law of the land ".
I read so many headlines written by giddy Liberal journalists.
Now the Democrats will deal with Trump on his terms, just like he has been doing deals for decades.
Fun to watch.
Another reason why she lost.
1
Actually, he has been doing bankruptcies for decades. Bullying is no substitute for real negotiating skills.
4
that Sen Sanders looks a lot like the former Patty Murray and the person behind the Murray sign looks like Lamar. Has anyone shown the photo to Schumer?
Shape shifters!!!
I thought the ACA was dead, according to Trump. I guess Trump will now try to take credit for "fixing" it. What a joke.
9
"But it remains to be seen whether conservative-leaning Republicans will get on board with the agreement..." Come on, reporters, call the facts. These are not "conservative-leaning Republicans". They are a new breed of extremist Conservatives determined to undermine and destroy our federal Republic that the GOP leadership has been coddling for 7 years. They are making Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell look cowardly and unpatriotic, which they are. Call the cards as they are, please!
275
Why do we need insurance to cover health care costs? It's ludicrous that the insurance industry has been able to hoodwink American for all these years. We're such fools to keep propping up this industry at the cost of everyone's health and financial well-being. Truly no one talks about the enormous costs that are now put on American's backs of carrying their own health insurance. It's debilitating our economy. Anyone, everyone, please look into the subject of MEDICARE FOR ALL. Every other civilized country has singler payer health care...
17
I second the motion...
1
Till we can,get to the Sanders plan we have to have something,people do have cancer and other diseases. This is a good wake up call to all those folks who voted this man into office and the reality of their corporare world. Its all about the money and trump,can talk a good game but he doesn't care whether you and your family live or die
"It will get us over the immediate hump". Us?? He doesn't care about the people who rely on Obamacare to make their healthcare affordable. He's trying to take credit for a bipartisan effort to maintain subsidies for the ACA that he vowed to sabotage. It's another facesaving and self-serving comment by the president.
9
Actual leadership...so refreshing after 9 months...
1
The longer the cruel reality of TrumpCare continues the better.
Tsar Trump claims he's not responsible and not to blame,
but every single jump in costs, co-pay, or non-coverage is part of the Little Hands Legacy.
It belongs to every RepugniCon that promised repeal and replace,
and had no solutions.
And you have to admire the boldness of the Schumer/Pelosi legislative proposal to reinforce and improve the ACA.
BOLD.....like Barack.
7
Blah, blah, blah...how long will we tolerate trying to appease insurance companies? If all this does not make for a solid argument to just go for Single Payer, Medicare for all, and finally be done with this monstrosity, I don't know what does.
6
If/when Trump signs this bill, he can honestly say he fixed Obamacare. He's going to like that.
While the likes of Trump, McConnell, and Ryan want to trash ACA and healthcare benefits for millions (while of course they keep THEIR healthcare unchanged!), at least some senators are trying to fix things.
It's one thing to disagree about means to healthcare and the politics, it's quite another to have NO ideas and merely want to trash things for the sake of trashing them.
4
"Some Republicans have said they do not wish to provide what they describe as a bailout to insurers" -- Dear Republicans, I have a solution for you. Institute socialized medicine, just like all the other educated countries on the planet have. You'll never have to subsidize a health insurance company again.
17
Are you comparing other countries like: Canada with 36.29 million people or England with 53.01 million people or maybe even France with 66.9 million people - to the United States with 323.1 million people??? - Just how in the hell do you think that would work? Do you really want to pay 80% of your wages to the Federal Government to cover every citizen? - Nowhere in the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence does it state that any American get anything for free - that is a dream of Democrats - all the while they take money from big business to make policies that keep people on the tit of government but not enough to really have a life......
1
trump won't like this at all. I know some very upset folks over taking away the subsidies. One woman I talked to started crying. I don't get these mean hateful folks at all.
3
Thank goodness! Someone thought of those poor insurance companies!
5
Even if Congress comes up with some kind of patch, Trump will take credit for it. It’s amazing how somebody so utterly clueless and incompetent is able to have so many people believe he’s a genius — but I guess that’s what con artists do.
7
The "bailout for insurers" line is old and mindless. A "bailout" is an outside rescue. If you mug somebody and them let them up again, that is not bailing them out.
1
This is also known as irresponsibly kicking the can down the road.
4
Best you'll get with Republican majorities. Democrats will take another crack at it before too long.
Unfortunately, we can't count on Trump or GOP representatives or senators to do the right thing EVER. We don't know what's in the "deal" or who would vote for it or whether it would even be voted on. People who need healthcare are being used as hostages. Shameful
5
Congratulations to Senators Murray and Alexander, working under the shadow of the Arsonist-in-Chief to try and salvage the dignity of the Senate. Now it's up to the leadership in Congress: McConnell and Ryan. They've got to find the nerve to pass a bipartisan bill in the face of opposition from the Freedom Caucus and the Bannon wing of the GOP. They know all they can rely on from the White House is backstabbing on Twitter. This should be painful to watch.
7
Does the check and balance in our constitution really work with partisan loyalty put above everything else? Can this Congress stop this madman from starting a nuclear war before it starts?
3
2 senators agree to add to the national debt so ‘do nothings’ can have a subsidy.
Totally unexpected... NOT!
Two reasonable moderates reaching a compromise. That's the way it used to be done.
Tens of millions of us are sick to death of fanatics, mean people, the insane and ideologically sclerotic zealots trying to destroy the country and its institutions using words like "patient-centered healthcare" and "repeal and replace." That's a list that starts with the President and includes most of the Republican Party.
7
I hope this so-called compromise doesn't see the light of day. These insurance company subsidies are paid for using ill gotten gains, mainly the outrageous and vindictive Obamacare surtaxes that represent the largest redistribution (i.e. theft) of wealth that we've seen in decades. I say no. To the insurance companies, I say you are on your own. To the people taking government subsidies, I say shame on you. Shame on you for not supporting yourself and for stealing my money.
4
If you're concerned that the middle class is being left out of all of this, look on the bright side; You're only one major medical procedure away from being poor enough to qualify for subsidies!
5
These two senators getting together is a fine example of what happens when Moderstes get elected. The damage to our country when 67 Tea Party candidates got elected to the House by Republicans in 2010 will last for years to come. And for this we have Paul Ryan to thank, along with Kevin McCarthy and Eric Cantor. Remember 'the Young Guns'?
2
No, let Trump take away medical coverage from his base. Don't mitigate his insanity.
1
Dear Congressmen, sounds like more of a bailout to the INSURED rather than a bailout to INSURERS. Stop spinning it.
Apparently the Senate doesn't understand how health insurance markets work. Insurance companies have already sent out notifications of large premium increases for 2018. With the last 9 months of total chaos regarding the ACA and Trump announcing the insurance subsidies being withdrawn the premiums for a healthy individual under 30 have risen to $400 a month with high deductibles and co-pays. These futile Senate's actions are the definition of to sorry to late.
5
I appreciate that some members of Congress are once again trying to compromise. The extremists have too long been in control and sabotaging government working for the people. But I am waiting to see the final details of the compromise before passing judgement. Giving individual states more "flexibility in the variety of choices one can give consumers" is of concern.
5
It's a very weird system. As I see it, individuals pay insurance companies and the medical establishment for health care. The government also pays (subsidizes) insurance companies when individuals cannot afford insurance. The government also pays the medical establishment for certain individuals--generally older people and people with limited income. Insurance rates are variable from place to place and may depend on whether, how, or where an individual is employed or whether an insurance company is making a profit. Medical costs, too, vary from place to place. Worst of all, it seems that medicine and medical care is still out of reach for many, including children.
But a short-term, half-way solution that may or may not make it through legislative bodies or through a presidential signature is the best thing to date.
But the conversation will get real in two years.
How many will die because they cannot afford what ought to be a basic human right?
7
Interesting and may be a sign of possible solutions, but until I see the details, my skepticism will remain. Reports a few weeks ago of the possible plans from these two Senators included options that might have brought back the higher prices for those with pre-existing conditions. It is too often the case that agreement across party lines includes throwing some portion of the American citizenry under the bus. I hope I am wrong on this one.
5
So long as there is profit in healthcare (feeding the for-profit companies), there will be misery. The "market" is in dysfunction because the mechanism of insurance has been patched and overridden in ACA with these very "subsidies". In truth, taxpayer money is used directly and indirectly to cover the entire cost of American healthcare. The problem is that the "cost" also includes huge profits for the many companies providing insurance, managed care, drugs, devices, etc.
These are the same companies that spend tens of millions of dollars to influence Congress to fight against American interests - as in the 60 Minutes story about how they helped create the opioid crisis by undermining regulators -- to ensure drug profits.
I believe in American Capitalism, but also believe, as did Adam Smith, that public needs (clean water, healthcare, etc) were best left beyond the profit motive.
9
Say want you want about Trump, but our legislators are actually legislating for a change, crossing the aisle to reach creative consensus. Now let's just hope they put a bill on the President's desk immediately, since he claims to support it but is known to change his mind more often than the wind changes direction.
49
yep, trump encouraged, now they happen to be doing something. Let's assign trump credit for healthcare reform Mission Accomplished sytle?
I gather that so far this applies to 2 of 100 Senators and none of the Representatives. Perhaps there will be a clean bill but quite possibly not. I am also struck by the saying of legislate in haste and repent in leisure.
It has absolutely nothing to do with him. it's IN SPITE of his ridiculousness.
Kicking the can down the road. AHCA isn’t affordable if it has to be subsidized.
1
President Trump planned to stop the cost-sharing reduction payments because a federal court has ruled them unconstitutional. In 2016, Federal District Court Judge Rosemary Collyer ordered the Obama White House to stop transferring funds from the Treasury to compensate insurers for their loses in the ACA market because the House of Representatives never appropriated the funding. She ruled that the Constitution says "No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law.” She said “Paying [those] reimbursements without an appropriation thus violates the Constitution. Congress is the only source for such an appropriation, and no public money can be spent without one." As the New York Times pointed out, she ruled that “An appropriation must be expressly stated; it cannot be inferred or implied.” The proposed compromise would make withdrawing the funds from the Treasury legal, but depends on the House of Representatives, which would have to vote to appropriate the funds.
1
I don't get it. Trump took away the cost sharing payment and then encouraged Lamar to give it back in exchange for states having more flexibility in varieties they can give to consumers? That's a deal that he could've easily struck without going through the pomp. He is just trying to save his thin face knowing that Lamar deal would humiliate him.
1
trump is naive enough to think this would be a good short term deal but house gop will see this as further cementing aca and completely opposite of their pledge to "repeal and replace". doa probably even in senate but surely in house.
Senators Patty Murray and Lamar Alexander have been working on healthcare fixes for months, and now the current president will try to take credit for their work by saying he forced them to work together when he signed an executive order a few days ago. It's what he's been doing his whole life. Trump is a fraud.
30
Yep -- we have known it for months and months, if not years. Drumpf continues to show himself to be a fraud, a liar, and a lazy leader.
Meanwhile, Sen. Murray works hard -- and has worked all of her time as a senator -- to provide for the general welfare of the people, as is her constitutional duty. Glad to see at least one Republican senator working with her. But we shall see about the final action by Congress.
The bottom line for Trump, the payments were illegal unless approved and paid for by Congress. On this he is correct.
3
If Republicans are leary of a bailout for insurance companies, then they should go to Medicare for all. Put an end to healthcare insurance companies in America.
12
Trump knew this was coming. Why he couched his removal of subsidies with a “directive” to work together. He’ll take credit.
3
Why not just admit it: the affordable care act was a very weak and inadequate measure, and a band-aid on a gaping wound.
Instead of worrying about someone’s legacy, let’s get going on a transition to single-payer universal health coverage.
A physician MD
9
Your sentiment it similar to all the physicians I have spoken with regarding the ACA. The ACA was built upon a foundation that was already crumbling. Although my knowledge on how to correct it is limited, I do agree it should be replaced completely with a better system!
3
A lot of us have been wanting single-payer for years. But, we’re told, that’s too much like socialism, so no can do. (Never mind Medicare, which, for some inexplicable reason, is not considered socialism in nature.)
I hope I live to see the day when universal health care comes here. But I think the proverbial porcines will take to the skies before that happens. In many ways, this country and its leaders are more regressive than progressive, and slaves to profit, which is a huge part of the problem right there.
Commenter "Think" said earlier that it is ludicrous that these funds are considered by some as insurance company bailouts. I repeat my response to that comment here:
It's not ludicrous, it's mostly true - a good chunk of this would actually translate into insurance company profits. What's ludicrous is:
1) That the people decrying said profits are the same people that believe that healthcare should be run by profit driven markets.
2) That "profits" and "healthcare" appear in the same conversation in a developed country.
The GOP insists that profits be part of the healthcare equation in one breath, and in the next breath decries these profits.
7
Just a few days ago, trump initiated the suspension of the subsidies to insurance companies. Today, he's encouraging congress to continue the subsidies?
It seems as if the man must have taken his meds this morning.
14
Your not tracking on this issue. Congress refused to appropriate money for these subsidies, but Obama just spent the money as it it had. A federal court has ruled that these payments are illegal and unconstitutional. Trump is merely upholding his oath of office taking care that the laws be faithfully executed.
1
A federal district court ruled that withdrawing funds from the Treasury to pay the subsidies is unconstitutional. because he House of Representatives never appropriated the money. The proposed compromise would make the payments constitutional, provided the House agrees and votes to appropriate the money. It satisfy both the district court and Trump.
1
The subsidies were illegal. Trump asked congress to make them legal or lose them. He said he would work with Democrats or Republicans on this and they are apparently responding in spite of themselves. Isn't that what a leader does, i.e., motivate people into doing things they didn't think they could do? So, what's your problem again?
1
Whew...such a relief. So many individuals are in that position in which they neither qualify for Medicaid nor are able to afford unsubsidized insurance.
To analyze this further, however, this action is an indication that our Republican-led Congress perhaps is awakening - somewhat - from its special interest agenda and comprehending the needs of their own supporters. Health care crosses all socio-economic and political groups. It is a universal reality that both Democrats and Republicans, rich, poor, or middle class, must protect themselves as well as be diagnosed and treated for the inevitable.
This president is incapable of responsible and stable governing. His narcissism is pathological enough to render him incompetent. And...this Congress is all we have at the helm to navigate our American ship back into safe waters. Let us hope, for our sake, that bipartisanship becomes at long last the norm, as it should be.
6
I'm a true blue Democrat but if feels great to have bipartisan agreement!
80
I agree - it's good to know there are still some grown-ups on the GOP side of the aisle.
1
Strategy prediction...
DT allows for $2,000 health insurance policies that cover basically nothing. At the same time, he and/or one of his cronies sets up predatory lending agencies to "bail" out the policy holders when their next doctor bill crushes their savings. Slowly, but surely, DT and his cronies use this to reinstate a modern form of indentured servitude.
7
Who would have thought there were any adults in the chamber?
Solution for some of the mess in DC: Cut off funding for the Secret Service.
Sanity: Secret Service is running out of money. Close enough?
1
Don't forget senators don't need to worry about their own health care plans - they are already covered.
10
Before you put your trust in Lamar Alexander, I suggest you wander through his website, which proudly proclaims he has:
*Voted, on the floor of the U.S. Senate, to repeal or defund Obamacare 23 times since it became law, and overall to oppose or repeal Obamacare or its provisions more than 90 times.
* Sponsored legislation, written letters or taken other action against Obamacare, including efforts to defund it, more than 70 times.
* Debated, made remarks or otherwise spoken out about his opposition to Obamacare more than 100 times.
15
All of the actions you cited had no impact, so they are just politcal posturing. Let us see if today's move results in some action. If it does, then that is what counts.
Somebody’s tracking this for all senators? They must be using retired baseball statisticians.
Just so's we all know, these CSRs go to reimbursing insurers for what they've paid out to keep poorer people's deductibles, co-pays, and other out-of-pocket costs way down.
It's discouraging to see putative leftists yell at insurance companies for one of the fewish things they're doing right.
3
Insurance companies are 'doing it' because their losses are made up by us. They get to keep their multi-million dollar executive salaries for a deep layer of paper pushers. You and I get to pay for insurers' largesse. And, under universal health care, we would still share the cost of taking care of everyone. We'd just eliminate that layer of uber rich corporate execs. No one's yelling.
3
You do know the inzuerrs are only doing that because the ACA requires it?
Trump has at least accomplished one thing, just not one of the ones he was promising. He has made it an iron-clad certainty that no one in my family will ever vote for a Republican candidate for any office!
I'm retired and living on a pension and Social Security..., yet I make too much for any kind of subsidy for health insurance for my wife who is a bit too young for Medicare. When I first looked into the ACA, the monthly premium for my wife was going to be about $350/month. Now it's over $1,100/month, with a $6,500 deductible, and that's before we find out about any increase due to 'uncertainty' about subsidies to the insurance companies.
It's almost as if this whole exercise was carefully planned to extort maximum dollars from the middle class for the benefit of the insurance companies, while biding time until after the 2018 elections. It's a good thing I'm not paranoid or I would suspect that Trump just doesn't care about the average American taxpayer at all and is just concerned with his own self-image?
29
I worked in the ACA. Not all agents enroll correctly. Can your wife enroll on her own? What type of plan do you have? As long as you are reporting income correnctly, your subsidy should go up. Yes it is based on household income and number of people in home. But you may have a better result if your wife enrolls on her own, or check out the possibility of Medicaid. Good luck, sorry you are having an issue with the money. Was not that way when it started out. Your situation if correct, is yet another reason for universal health care funded by we the people.
1
$18,000 / year for healthcare is criminal.
Wishing you the best.
One thing is true: This is a short term solution because no matter it affect on health care, the R's will continue to seek a ruination of the ACA.
One thing is certainly false (via Trump, of course): Block grants to states are not a viable way to provide equitable insurance for all Americans.
19
Trump has learned a new word "Block grants". Obviously Ryan spent some time with him very recently. Problem with block grants is it is not described as "Health insurance grants" or "health insurance subsidy grants" or even "emergency Health care grants". No they are block grants which is essentially a large hand out from the federal government to the state with no strings attached. The state "does not have to use it to fund anything medical. They can use it (most often) to balance their budget, give themselves a raise, upgrade the capital, kick backs for favors, or a new stadium. There are no consequences, for the state.
14
Whether or not strings are attached to a block grant program depends on its enabling legislation. Any "deal" involving block grants to states should require that the grant funds be used in some way to help people buy health insurance. Flexibility does not equate to loosy-goosy. But the insurance marketplace should be stabilized in the short term, and Mr. Alexander's recommendation for a full-fledged debate, complete with hearings of course, will be a welcome change from the secretive tactics used by the Republicans thus far in dealing with federally funded health care.
1
And chances are, especially the "red' states will NEVER use the money for its residents health care. $$ will be used to benefit Governor, state officials, elected and otherwise, anything but ensuring the good health of its citizens.
1
I have zero faith left in the Republican party to join together with the Democrats, on the whole, to address the life-threatening need for affordable, comprehensive, permanent subsidized health care for this nation.
When they say "freedom" or "options", "block grants" those are ploys, meaning cuts. That they know would not be acceptable so their think tanks hire wordsmiths to come up with words more palatable.
What's been released of their proposed tax cuts make my position sorely clear.
7
Interesting how trump signs executive orders to make good on what he said and then tells politicians to fix the problem they create. Amazing his supporters view such action as progress. His sister did compare him to PT Barnum, unfortunately this is not a circus; or maybe it is.....
9
I don't think you're off too far, they're enough clowns in Washington to make PT Barnum look like a camp out. With the new ring leader, lions will be spitting fire as well.
Government protocol shouldn’t dictate logic and common sense as last resort options; nor should the appropriations process require Uncle Sam to reach around his elbow to grab his wallet.
1
Read the fine print on state options before you celebrate. Murray may have quietly given away the store.
8
Too late.
Regence has already announced the end of individual plans in Washington State, undoubtedly because Trump has been so successful in sowing total chaos in the insurance market.
My wife and I who are both totally healthy and are self-employed now expect to pay approximately the cost of a brand new Honda Civic, EVERY YEAR, for health insurance. (This includes the latest projected premium increase of 25%.) We're incredibly lucky that this won't bankrupt us- but I fear for those who are not so lucky,
Thanks, Donald. Nice work.
343
The self-employed are 2nd class citizens!
Left off the (obvious) /S.
And the cost of a Mercedes annually to those who are not healthy.
Hey, live free AND die!
The subsidies are not 'bail outs' to the insurance companies. They allow people to afford their premiums. Let's be clear. And the political deal lets the GOP avoid this debate til after the 2018 election. Since it's clear that haven't come up with a comprehensive health care reform plan in the last 8 years, I don't have much hope they'll have one in two years. Kicking the can down the road, but at least people, hopefully, will have health care for that period.
6
I am grateful that our lawmakers are working together to bring both sides to the table. This will ensure that a decision about health care is made thoughtfully and will embrace the needs of all Americans on both sides of the line. Perhaps this is a sign of the diplomacy yet to come.
3
You’re being sarcastic, right? Two out of how many lawmakers are working together. Diplomacy yet to come? Not as long as Trump is president!
1
As Trump says, it's short-term. Just not the way he presents it. The longer-term is he will seek to destroy nationalized health care via block grants, which will mimic current dysfunctions that allow many republican governors, for ideological reasons, to refuse the subsidies that would insure their uninsured citizens.
Block grants are lump sums, and when the money runs out--an outcome more likely when the economy ebbs--ranks of the uninsured will balloon. This isn't good for public health, it isn't good for health care professions, but it's great for wealthy taxpayers who don't grasp the concept of 'enough.'
3
If left leaners and those who hate what is going on vote in 2018 the Dems will be able to stop the repub agenda.
The real value of the ACA is that it has provided a means to cushion the eventual and inevitable collapse of our health care system. If the collapse is deferred too long, it will delay the consequences for the wealthy but slowly sap the health of the rest of us. If the collapse is sudden and soon, more people will suffer and die right away.
Accept that change in HC delivery, like FAA regulations, will be written in blood. HC reform runs into a lot of vested interests and heartfelt dogma; and we Americans don't fix things until they get really bad. So let's find a middle path with a moderately fast collapse and a minimum of blood, while enough people come around to accept the need for comprehensive reform. MAYBE Murray-Alexander or something like it may approximate that path. Maybe.
1
Last time Senator Murray made a deal with Republicans, four million long-term unemployed found themselves with no UI benefits and no one who would hire them. This was in late 2013. By Third quarter 2014, the housing crisis many states are now dealing with, began.
I reserve my judgment until I see the fine print, this passes committee, and gets voted on without riders being inserted at the last minute. Then, of course, there is Trump signing off on it.
Based on the last several attempts to "deal with healthcare," I would expect lots of shenanigans on this one.
Democrats need to let Republicans fail and stop making deals from an increasingly lopsided position. Who loses? Not Democrats in power, but their voters. Triangulation is never done from a position of strength. It's the case every time. Why? If they were in a position of power, they wouldn't need to triangulate.
---
https://www.rimaregas.com/2017/09/04/triangulation-when-neoliberalism-is...
37
I get it, but if Dems just let Repubs torch the healthcare system, they will deprive 20 to 30 million people of care, causing the death of 20 plus thousand more people than otherwise EVERY YEAR. That's way too high a price to pay for a political win sometime in the future.
1
UARoll,
That's already happening. I fractured my wrist in late April. It took three weeks for me to see one of two hand-surgeons who are contracted in my plan. When it came time for me to have my cast removed, the surgeon was no longer contracted and I had to wait to see the other one. Turned out that other than fracturing bones, I also tore tendons. I am still waiting for surgery. This is just my wrist. I can't imagine what those who need specialists are going through.
So far, each time Republicans were about to pull the plug on millions of people, they failed on their own. Let them keep failing. Besides, 15 states are now suing Trump over stopping subsidy payments. He is bound by the law and judges are stopping him.
If Americans are going to lose out, let them do so knowing who did it to them.
How very telling that the reporter here assumes as a matter of course that Democrats will support whatever these two Senators cooked up, no matter how much worse it makes Obamacare.
"Compromise" means, in Republican parlance, making health insurance more expensive, less accessible and less comprehensive, leaving the choices up to states which have, collectively, already refused to provide health insurance at Federal expense to their own citizens, apparently out of spite.
And "compromise" is counted a win, when single-payer universal coverage has finally entered the mainstream -- you can actually talk about it now.
What a depraved political culture we enjoy.
43
Compromise: "You want America to be free. I want America to be slave. Let's compromise. Let's make America half free and half slave."
So this is the new Part 3 of our failed so-called president's operating system:
1. Don't get anything through the Republican Congress
2. Undo anything Obama did through Executive Order
3. Get rid of certain things but in a few days agree to put them back if some adult lawmakers cut a deal.
4. Repeat.
26
Trump now owns Trumpcare. He said so himself. It's up to him to drag his party along with a fix. If the ACA collapses, it's on him and them.
23
If this actually passes into law, Trump will be able to claim he did something. There are only two problems:
1. He basically saves Obamacare for another two years! His base should love that!
2. We are essentially back to where we were before last week!
15
trump lies every day. Most folks do not believe a thing he says. .
2 years? Yah, enough to get through the mid-terms. I guess it's a start.
5
I think I like this deal. I also think it is another loss for Trump who has tried to put on "I'm happy with this" reaction. I bet someone took his devices away so he can not get to twitter. Isn't this just what he didn't want because it slows down his ruination the ACA and all things Obama.
3
Did you miss Senator Alexander saying this this proposal would give the states "more flexibility in the choices they can give to consumers?" In the earlier comments a few weeks ago, that translated as putting restrictions back on to allow either rejection of those with regarding pre-existing conditions or charging them much, much more. Both of those options are deadly for anyone with a serious illness. I will wait to see just what is in this proposal.
6
Block grants says the block head.
Challenge him to define that in terms his voters could understand.
Then watch the confusion!
8
Wait a sec! Trump signs an exec order to get rid of health care subsidies, two senators come up with a bill to restore those subsidies, and now Trump says that would be a solution to the problem (one that he himself created). Am I missing something here?
35
the timeline is what you are missing. murray and alexander have been working on this for a while
1
The only thing that you're missing is the willingness to accept the fact that facts and logic don't mean anything anymore to Trump and the RepugniCants.
Contradictions? Truth? Logic? They went out with the Obama era; they've all been repudiated.
Once you get past your shortcomings, and accept that we now live in a world ruled by "alternative facts" and Trump's "unconventional way of doing things," you'll be fine (just as long as you give Trump credit for everything).
Great news.
Trump made a blatant, damaging and destructive attempt to sabotage our American health care system. First, he cut resources that help people understand their health care options and get covered, like in-person enrollment assistance and promotion. Then he cut off payments that help insurers lower working families’ out-of-pocket costs.
None of his actions will make coverage more affordable - in fact, they will do the opposite, and Trump knows this. He's sabotaging the Affordable Care Act and he’s not even trying to hide it.
Now, it’s up to Congress to step up and stop the damage that Trump is inflicting. I am pleased Senators Alexander and Murray have reached a bipartisan deal to provide funding for subsidies to health insurers.
I wonder if Trump's head will now spin around and explode.
7
YOU WISH Trump's head would spin around and explode.
Well, you and I wish.
1
Most insurance companies have already set their 2018 rates and gotten state approval, based on NOT getting the co-pay and deductible subsidies for low-income exchange policies buyers. What now? Is there language in this deal to force them to now lower those state-approved rate increases? They had better! I certainly don't want this to be cover for insurance companies making a killing off of the higher-income, unsubsidized individual policy buyers, those who have screamed the loudest against the ACA and fueled the Republican repeal-and-replace lies that got us this mess. They are the small minority that was hurt by insurance companies cost-shifting to them in order to cover sick and older low-income individuals on the exchanges but Obamacare got the blame. Instead of taking down the whole ACA, that small market could have been fixed directly.
11
Here is what is likely to happen.
The Senate will vote and pass this.
The House will then cobble togther a Dem-rep majority to issue a discharge petition. This will be the only way this gets a vote because Ryan wont bring it to the floor willingly.
A discharge petition supported by all Dems and just enough Rs.
This same by partisan majority will pass it in the House and trump will sign it. 30-45 days from when the bill is filed in the House.
3
The posters here are amusing because they are so wrong due to their blind hatred of Trump, and by extension, Trump voters. Only about 35% of the country.
It is Trump's threats which forced the parties to work together.
The President not only knows how to take the heat, but to keep the parties in the kitchen until it gets done.
Good work, Mr. President.
(No, I am not a Russian).
4
You mean, Trump creates a problem out of thin air because of his racist hatred of President Obama, and then throws it over the wall and hopes someone with intelligence will come up with a solution? Meantime, Americans suffer. Yeah, a real win, right?
6
Murray and Alexander were trying to come up with a bi-partisan proposal before the last "Graham" block grant fiasco, which cause their discussions to be put on hold by the Republican leadership. That they were working on this before and after the last attempts to dismantle the ACA was known. If he was sincere about solving some of the weaknesses in the ACA, Trump could easily have delayed his destablizing and grandstanding executive order until after the Alexander/Murray discussions were completed. This has nothing to do with his threats, which only created confusion and delay, and everything to do with getting things done by the appropriate and establish bi-partisan order that he has done nothing to support.
4
Wishful thinking that there is supposedly some "method" to Trump's madness. It was the Republicans' failure to pass their Health Care "reform" bills that forced them to the table; the Democrats have been calling for a compromise for months. Trump is nothing but a childish disrupter, with nothing in mind other than to "disrupt", create turmoil, and dismantle anything that Obama did.
"It is Trump's threats which forced the parties to work together."
Trump gets to pander to his base and claim he eradicated Obamacare subsidies while privately supporting this bipartisan effort to fund those same subsidies. Trump and republicans know that eliminating those subsidies would be a disaster for the deficit and middle and lower income Americans, so Congress and the President both get to look like they’re doing something while, really, the stays quo is maintained. Another day in Washington.
7
If millions of people, with a disproportionate number Trump supporters, begin to lose their basic health coverage, the GOP will be dead in the 2018 elections. This is why they put off the inevitable destroying of our health care system, which will be reintroduced in January 2018 to conveniently take effect starting Jan 2021, after the presidential election.
This bill isn't to protect Americans. It's to protect Republicans.
www.newyorkgritty.net
17
The president is intent on destroying health care for poorer Americans, for reasons that defy reason and ethics. There is a huge swath in Congress eager to go along with dismantling Obamacare, which is a first step towards universal health care, but nonetheless is a bête noire for the G.O.P. It is apparent to me, that Trump's motivations are malicious and self-serving, not in any way in tge interests of the nation, while the congressional anti-Obamacare crusaders are simply ignorant, privately motivated or just blindly partisan. What is most interesting is the president's malfeasance and nefarity: he aims at demoniacally sabotaging an effort that is in everyone's interest. The rich, especially the plutocrats, should be happy to help those not so well off as they, unless they are simply greedy and myopic. They with more money than they need, should be willing to pay higher tax rates in return for their wealth. Funding healthcare should be a priority higher than aggrandizing the military, and it can be easily achieved with a minute fraction of what is wasted on our military. Let's great America great by raising all citizens' standard of living.
5
Trump just scuttled subsidies. I doubt if he's going to do anything to save any part of Obamacare for 2 more years. Recently there was a bipartisan plan worked out by Kasich and Hickenlooper that went nowhere. Ryan probably won't vote on this and many Republican senators will not support it, starting with Rand Paul.
3
While I certainly hope this works, I really hate to hold my breath. The ACA may not be perfect but my wife and I have been quite happy with the insurance we've had thanks to the ACA. I lose sleep thinking that our coverage might be gone tomorrow and that we have a "president" who cares more about a perceived win than those of us who buy insurance on the exchanges.
My wife had a hip replacement this year. We wanted it done this year because we were afraid that we wouldn't be able to afford "real" insurance next year. I had a kidney stone so saw first hand how much an emergency room visit costs.
Like others I hope it's a step in the right directions. Democrats might expand on what Republicans saying about subsidizing the for profit health insurance industry. Now is the time to really push for Medicare for all!
319
No legislation concocted by man is perfect. The Constitution has been repeatedly amended. While the Ten Commandments were amended by the New Testament and the Quran.
Single payer yesterday! Single payer today! Single payer tomorrow!
1
We know health insurance can be done right - Medicare with 50 + million seniors have comprehensive coverage guaranteed and with low monthly premiums ($109 to $134 for most) and they may choose from Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare with supplemental coverage. This includes hospital, medical and drug coverage for most.
Thanks to Trumpcare my wife's (age 64) plan will increase in cost from $688
this year to $1262 for the first five months of 2018, after which she will join Medicare. I worry about those younger who will not be able to join Medicare in 2018.
Keep the pressure on folks.
That is because our president is incompetent...in many ways.
What about the middle class? Everything seems to be about giving to the poor, but the middle class is being ruined by these giveaways. The poor are just being made more dependent.
As much as I hope this legislation will make it's way through to being enacted, I'm afraid it won't go anywhere. Republicans now have us where they want us, without any government run healthcare system nor the funds that would require. And too few, like Alexander, will even, dare I say it, compromise with democrats. And that is why we are stuck spinning, going in circles with no end in sight. And it's why republicans can't govern. And republicans will be the very reason why Americans will again begin to die needlessly.
And who do we thank for this fine mess . . . The base, Russia or both?
7
What about reproductive health care for women? What about allowing low-cost junk insurance plans? It seems that plus "'more flexibility'" by states also will destabilize the insurance market, especially for those with preexisting conditions, whether or not there are subsidies. Postponing "a full-fledged debate" is just the political cover for "kicking the can down the road" until after the 2018 mid-term elections than a "'short term solution.'"
3
Congress still hasn't managed to refund CHIP so poor children have NO health care. What makes us believe that they will pass this proposal. Also what ever happened to the very limited gun control that was supposed to have bipartisan support? Where is this legislation?
4
Patty Murray and others in the Senate should get out of the way and let ACA collapse so that it can be replaced by real reform, which is Medicare for everyone.
4
This is a stopgap solution to a long-term problem.
What America needs is a bipartisan solution, one that can withstand the change of partisan control in the Congress and the White House in the long haul.
5
We need to know much more about this deal.
'Flexibility' for governors, at least Republican ones, is often code for allowing them to punish their poorer or darker constituents. There needs to be adequate safeguards against the party demonstrably out to hurt their most vulnerable healthcare consumers.
Many insurance companies, facing the uncertainty of subsidies, already raised their rates for 2018. Will they now be required to lower their rates appropriately?
Will there be incentives and extensions to allow people to sign up for insurance and to allow insurance companies to re-enter markets they left?
Will any changes in insurance costs and plan options be broadly and fairly publicized? Or will the rescue be mostly a political stunt, handicapped from the start.
At the end of the day, I don't see how you compromise with a party determined to destroy our healthcare system unless enough have had a come-to-Jesus moment and truly want to help their citizens.
9
"This takes care of the next two years. After that, we can have a full-fledged debate on where we go long-term on health care."
Why not have that debate now? This two-year stopgap is simply kicking the can down the road/past the next election. We have been debating health care in this country since LBJ created Medicaid and Medicare. ACA is no solution to the health care problems that face this country--it's like feeding crumbs to a starving man.
The reason the powers that be don't want to have this debate now, or ever, is that the solution is obvious and will cost a lot of people a lot of money as a sector that consumes 20 percent of GDP undergoes a massive, and urgently needed, overhaul. The private sector has had more than two centuries to demonstrate that it can adequately address the health care needs of the citizenry. We all know the result.
Medicare for everyone.
So let's have the debate now.
10
Amen.
That's two Republican senators from Tennessee who have done the right thing in the last 10 days.
Sen. Corker's statement that the White House "is an adult day care center" now appears to be widely accepted as fact.
Sen. Alexander's willingness to work on a bipartisan plan to shore up the Affordable Care Act is also commendable.
Hope to see more of this.
9
Thank you Senators Murray and Alexander.
But, the only permanent solution to our healthcare tango is Medicare for all. Please pass Medicare for all, or another sensible single payer system and let us move on to exciting new things like infrastructure!
7
Healthcare Tango. Wow. That is good.
Section 1402 CSRs are integral to Section 1401 premium tax credits. They have been funded from Section 1401 permanent appropriations. The D.C. Circuit thought funding the Section 1402 CSRs from the money earmarked for the Section 1401 subsidies was inappropriate so declared the action unconstitutional.
Personally, I do not believe Congress can use its Spending Power to fundamentally amend or repeal the overriding purpose and function of a law. I believe the D.C. Circuit was wrong and I would challenge its holding before the Supreme Court, regardless of whether a deal is struck with this manic Executive.
3
Good. Will Mitch McConnell buy it? Will Trump renege?
Assume we pass those hurdles. What will Paul Ryan do? The Freedom Caucus, supported by the Koch brothers will surely oppose. So Ryan will need Democrats for a majority. If he is a patriot he will support the deal but if he cares more about his speakership, Ryan will oppose.
3
The GOP does not want to provide a bail-out, AKA assistance, to our citizens, who often cannot afford healthcare insurance premiums and co-pays. The fact that their attacks on Obamacare pushed these cost up is of little interest to most of them. After all, most of them have less than no desire to have government help our citizens obtain access to healthcare at all. It is only because the Dems passed Obamacare, over the vehement objections of the GOP, that we are even having this discussion.
It’s hard to find any positives about Trump’s reign of terror against American values, but if there is one, it is that the difference between the GOP and the Dems is being drawn in stark relief. Let’s see what the voters say in 2018. If they decide despite all of the evidence that the GOP has the best plan for our country, I guess the rest of us will recognize that the hegemony of the Red States will defy any rational explanation. It will be, if it happens, the triumph of ideology over intelligence.
4
Very nice. But that gets Republicans past the 2018 elections when they try to get rid of the ACA again and this allows states "more flexibility in the variety of choices they can give to consumers". By allowing young healthy Americans to buy cheaper insurance without the bare minimum that the ACA said had to be in any insurance policy the insurance rates for people who are older, more sick and/or has a pre-existing condition will go up substantially. We need a single payer system. We need to stop playing games with 1/5 of the economy.
4
Thank you for being the adults in the room, Senators Murray and Alexander, you showed both courage and will. This is the most recent example of Patty Murray's willingness to put her head down, and work hard WITH republicans to solve big problems. It's why we keep reelecting her...she actually gets stuff done.
4
I am hopeful that Congress will put the American people above partisan politics. For conservatives who want to support business and entrepreneurship, universal healthcare is essential for an economy where people are willing to risk building businesses. Finally, personally, our family has paid into the Affordable Care Act since the beginning of the ACA. We didn't know that our son would be very ill--and very dependent on medication and health insurance. It can happen to anyone. Congress is protected with medical insurance--I would hope that the citizens will be, as well.
294
"The Audacity of Hope" was the title of Mr. Obama's book. "Keep Hope Alive" is a Jesse Jackson slogan.
Neither man nor woman lives by hope in the Age of Trump.
1
There is a huge difference between universal insurance and universal access to healthcare. Universal insurance, with high deductibles, is intended to make sure big medicine gets paid. That's why the drug companies raised prices raised prices 24% and hospitals raised prices 33% while the CPI increased 10%. We haven't seen that ratio of medical inflation to regular inflation since before the Bush reforms.
There was no run up in drug prices after Medicare part D was implemented, but there was with Obamacare.
"Mr. Alexander said that in addition to funding the payments to insurers, the deal would also give states “more flexibility in the variety of choices they can give to consumers,” which should appeal to Republican lawmakers eager to give states more say over health care."
Doesn't this give some states the power to water down or weaken the A.C.A.?
5
Let's not be so quick to celebrate. Giving states “more flexibility in the variety of choices they can give to consumers” means ending the defined benefits which, in turn, can make insurance unaffordable to those who need it.
181
That's all the more reason folks in the states that did not expand Medicaid need to put on their voting shoes and get out of the house the next few election cycles(and thereafter!!!!).
You can still buy a defined benefits plan.
Many of the "defined benefits" need to be terminated. Why should taxpayers, living in a supposedly free society, be forced by government mandates and penalties to buy something we don't want or need? That's not democracy, that's fascism. Obamacare is an authoritarian nightmare that has destroyed the greatest health care system in the world and is punishing hard-working American taxpayers in order to enrich Big Insurance, Wall Street, Lobbyists, and Establishment politicians.
Trump just needs to stay out of this. He created this latest mess.
Here’s hoping this begins a new era of bipartisanship. While states’ involvement is concerning, perhaps in a calmer climate a more mature and substantive discussion can be had on health care as a whole.
As with the ACA, this too is a work n progress and we must remember that.
3
I had carry-over group insurance from my former employer that cost about $1550 a month for me and my wife for Health, Dental and Vision, plus co-pays on visits and drugs.
We both turned 65 in the last year and have Medicare plus supplemental insurance including dental (no Vision) that now costs us about $750 a month. No service co-pays, but we pay somewhat more on drugs (but have no really expensive ones).
Medicare for all. It's a no brainer. Which is why Republicans hate it so much.
23
“This takes care of the next two years,” Mr. Alexander said. “After that, we can have a full-fledged debate on where we go long-term on health care.”
What was stopping them from having a full-fledged debate earlier this year? Instead they chose to try to ram through repeal-and-replace attempts without public hearings, without discussion, with no women on the panels, under the budgetary reconciliation process rather than through full legislation.
And why on earth should we believe anything will be different in two years? This is a thinly veiled attempt to save GOP seats in 2018.
5
So this short-term solution would fund the cost-sharing reductions for only two years - not fund them permanently, but kick the can down the road until after the next midterm election.
In the meantime, the President calls for replacing all subsidies with block grants for the states - the same plan that failed as the Graham-Cassidy bill - neglecting the fact that 19 states chose not to give subsidies to low-income ACA customers, and 36 states didn't bother to set up their own state insurance exchanges.
I hope it only takes one election to replace lawmakers who won't lift a finger to help their constituents and fix this healthcare system once and for all.
6
The House for some years has barely been able to pass any meaningful legislation, spending most of its time in vicious debates that lead to completely unpassable bills that are then ignored by the Senate.
Presented with a moderate bill from the Senate, is there any reason to expect the House to be different this time? Or, to put it in another way, is Ryan now willing to pass actual legislation by working with Democratic votes to override the nutcase faction of his party in the House? That will poison the well for him with the so-called 'Freedom' Caucus, though, which eventually brought Böhner down. Is Ryan willing to go that route?
"This takes care of the next two years." Long enough to push through an awful plan for tax reform and get past the 2018 elections without having to really deal with the failure to repeal and replace after 8 years. Could it be that finally faced with the reality of repeal these Republicans have to face facts that many of their constituents need ACA subsidies and if they take them away the GOP can't blame Obama. If you don't have a feasible plan after 8 years, how much should we expect after 2 more years of yelling and finger pointing?
21
Sounds like the CEOs of United Health Care, Aetna, Humana and Cigna called up their local Senators and did a some 'splaining. We all know who runs the world.
37
Maybe Trump can do some good, serving as a common enemy! He will be able to make it a reality show, everyone hates Trump!
19
I have been thinking that before he got elected. I couldn't vote for him, but I was taught with every negative, try to get something positive.
How is Obamacare a "bailout to insurance companies" but giving "block grants to states so people can buy private insurance" is not?
166
See, to Republicans, federal = bad, states = good. They learned long ago that controlling the states is the most cost-effective approach.
1
"block grants" will get wrapped into Medicaid CUTS,.... which we all know is the trojan horse for $700 million in deficit reduction to give to the 1% with their tax cuts. This gives literal and new meaning to "pound of flesh." Killing people so the already rich can grab even more.
4
We've been here before and turned it down....This is just going around in circles, Trump is getting everyone dizzy......
The devil is in the details.....the state block grants were attempted already in a prior failed GOP attempt because indirectly, and this is too much to explain here, per the CBO it ends up with the same result - decreasing insured and lowering coverage.
I'm looking for a silver lining in the Trump presidency and i think this is it. bipartisanship will be forced because responsible civic minded adults will have to come together to clean up the mess that Trump and his cronies are leaving in their wake.
34
Certainly hope that bipartisanship remains an option. Bannon wants to replace the reasonable Republicans (the establishment) with those who are further right.
"Civic minded adults" among congressional republicans?
So Trump agrees to make Obama's "illegal" fix— the subsidies— legal now. This is as good as chiseling it in stone. It's like Pennsylvania's 1936 Emergency Johnstown Flood Tax that we here still pay. Because Republicans are too feckless to come up with another idea, and too scared to talk to Democrats about a better plan lest Steve Bannon nip at their ankles, they will enshrine Obamacare up there with Medicare, Social Security, and whisky and income taxes. I'm glad, but I can't help noting the irony.
11
Wow! Another government bailout to Big Business. Sad to see Corporatism win out over Free Markets and competition.
Really disappointed in the Democrat party, their just a shill for the insurance companies.
5
"Really disappointed in the Democrat party"
So you'd rather wait for single payer while families with medical issues go bankrupt in the meantime?
Democrats are not playing a game. They are trying to help people while dealing with Republican obstruction dating back to the days of FDR and Truman,
6
You see reality differently than most people. The subsidies help people who aren't well off to pay for care, via their insurance policies.
Short of dismantling the insurance companies and instituting a single payer plan, which would take a lot of time to actually happen, what's left? Either help people or don't help them.
1
The free market is what got us here in the first place..... oh how we forget. Before 2010 I couldn't even buy insurance, so whatever. I'm glad I have a silver plan being the owner of a very small business for my family of 6 for 400 bucks a month and my employees have insurance they can afford through the exchange. Before we couldn't get anything. Don't forget there are real, hard working contributors to a diverse economy that are part of this equation and need these subsidies. But more and more I feel like we really don't matter to the ideals of the right wing. We're just mooches right? I don't think so. Come do what I do and you will see what work is!
4
So... assuming it can pass the Senate and the House votes on it as well, will Trump sign it? After he just signed an executive order to do the opposite? Is that his strategy? Sow chaos so that others have to clean up his mess?
9
Don't count on it going anywhere. Trump will kill it, the "Freedom Caucus" will attack it and more. It will take suffering, sadly, for the "Trumpets" to find out they've been had.
11
SUBTEXT: Republicans senators & reps realized they'd be scorched in 2018 if they didn't pay lip service to protecting their constituents' health care. Pure politics. Let's bear one thing in mind. The only real solution is to ELECT as many progressive DEMs in 2018 as possible so we can all stop worrying, day-by-day, whether we will be able to live or die based on the whims of a few elite, 1%, bought-off senators, reps and this obscenity of a president.
112
exactly right this analysis
True story about the lovely Senator Murray.
Once, I was homeless in L.A. and feeling pretty low. So, I wrote Senator Murray explaining why veterans such as myself give up and commit suicide. The next morning at the crack of dawn, I got a phone call from the VA. They were all over themselves offering me assistance in any way possible. Senator Murray and her staff get stuff done.
616
I'm sorry to hear that you had to go through that.
1
Thanks for sharing that. Sen. Patty Murray is a treasure, credit to her and Sen. Lamar Alexander, none to Trump. After the past nine months, I find it difficult to see this fix actually passing, time will tell.
Best way to deal with Trump. Ignore him and get on with everything that needs to be done by yourself. He doesn't care for anything but being a blowhard and a liar. If he thinks he looks good it will keep him quiet. Just like you give a bottle to a baby or a cookie to a toddler to keep them out of your hair while you work.
28
"He doesn't care for anything but being a blowhard and a liar."
Don't forget money!! He cares more about that over everything else!!
Hoping check-and-balance works to rein in and curb the worst impulse of this unethical and unhinged king without any clothes on.
16
The only real long term solution is Single Payer/Medicare for All.
343
Simply not true.
1
Vanessa Hall: Believe me, your doctor will not thank you. I'm on Medicare; my doctor retired; now I can't get a new doctor, period. Medicare pays about a tenth of what they charge. No one wants a practice full of people paying what Medicare pays.
1
Hopefully by the time her term ends and she's up for reelection it will be a viable option. In the meantime this offers a perspective of the so called litmus test and the risk it poses to defeating the Republican Party.
Ah, yes, my little chickadee,
The old "good cop, bad cop routine".
Trump will find a way to derail this bipartisan solution.
14
" then we can have a full-fledged debate on where we go with health care"....
NO MORE DEBATE.........can we just put Medicare for All on each State ballot and VOTE for it ?
Seriously , how can we get this done ?
112
We can't. Because republicans WILL NOT WILLINGLY SOCIALIZE HEALTHCARE. People really, really, really, need to get this through their heads. They have been working for DECADES attacking Medicaid and Medicare and Social Security because those are Democratic legislative success for the greater good. Makes them sick. "Debate" means bait and switch. If perchance they come out with a bargain to fund the ACA, it's highly likely the popular vote loser will veto it. No way on earth he is ever signing anything that would preserve President Obama's achievement.
4
Not much information in this report.
5
The stock of UnitedHealth Group, the largest health insurance company in the United States, reached an all-time high today on the back of record profits, despite the possibility of the losing government subsidies. Does the American taxpayer really need to subsidize the health insurance industry as a means to guarantee that their profit margins are maximized? Is that what the free market is all about?
By-the-way, UnitedHealth Group CEO, Stephen J. Hemsley, received $66.13 million in compensation last year!
514
No. Especially since health care is NOT a "market." It is a utility of the most utterly needed type. Our collective taxes should pay for our collective health without private "insurers." They can become administrators. The rest of the industrialized world has better health outcomes for roughly half the cost. Can anyone tell me that we can't emulate or improve upon that?
10
Well, it appears to be the only way of getting them on board, after all insurance companies are businesses and that’s the way it goes as far as CEO entitlements.
1
By the way, the money is reimbursement for the deductibles, co-pays, and other OOP costs that poor people cannot pay, and for which insurers pick up the tab.
There are a lot of things to yell at Aetna et al about; you've picked pretty much the single solitary thing that they're doing right.
1
I'll believe it when I see it.
11
Thank you Senators. Thank you so very much for doing the obvious right thing when the inept mean spirited fool in charge keeps doing everything that is cruel and wrong.
21
According to the Secretary of State, that should be "inept mean spirited moron in charge".
1
"Mr. Alexander told reporters on Monday that Mr. Trump had encouraged him to reach a deal with Ms. Murray."
If Trump wanted the subsidies kept, why did he sign the executive order terminating them? Hm, could he have been pandering to his base and only worrying about his ratings, do you think? Surely not... #sarcasm
24
because it was questionable and heading to the courts on whether the executive branch legally has the power to spend money for subsidies without the authorization of the congress. that constitution is a funny thing ain't it?
1
When I read the headline, my first thought was that Trump would claim credit for the proposal and, sure enough, he did. Who cares as long as it gets done? We should; we (including those who could take a stand against that lying fool) can't allow him to slide on yet another disastrous "Executive" decision.
I'm skeptical that the Wingers will come on in and agree. they're just determined to wreck anything Obama did
9
So we now understand the Trump approach to governance. Health care, the Dreamers, Iran ...
It's the grenade method. Weaponize an issue with bluster and bullying, pull the pin and roll the grenade onto the floor of Congress.
It's certainly not a civilized or gentlemanly way to do business. But it may ultimately yield better results than the evil stew that Mitch and Paulie cook up behind closed doors.
11
The often stated goal of the Republicans is to repeal ACA. This agreement is anathema to McConnell, Ryan and Trump. It will fascinating to watch Republicans caught between saving the lives of some of their constituents by helping ACA survive and obeying the will of the 1% who control them.
16
Avatar: The republicans are NOT interested AT ALL in saving the lives of some of their constituents by helping the ACA survive, but they ARE interested in obeying the will of the 1% who control them. If the constituents paid them off, bribed them, and provided kickbacks like the 1% does, it would be a different story. THEN, the republicans would sell themselves to the highest bidder...which is essentially what they do anyway.
2
Don’t trust him!!!! He will only make you cringe one more time. And again. And again.
7
Bipartisan Legislating will alway be better and more durable than Executive orders. Now if these two public servants can one by one create legislation that one by one overturns our Tweeter in Chief's executive orders, then sanity and good government will be restored.
10
I want to know which Republican Senators think this is a bailout. And I want to call them and give them a piece of my mind.
7
The Insurance lobby is powerful to say the least.
I have a feeling this has a good chance of passing. The congressional bodies will give cover to the nuttiest of their members to vote no on it.
4
Gotta give Trump this one. Kicked it square into the Congress and they come up with a fix. Now what about the Dreamer, Trump kicked that to Congress the week before.
4
They were working for many weeks on this fix before Trump sabotaged it by supporting Graham-Cassidy. Now he and his flaks want to take credit for it as a smart strategy. Give me a break.
1
@ Lynn - you are wrong. this article is about the subsidies only. Your talking about a much larger overhaul.
1
I suppose decent dental care would be out of the question?
Oops, my bad - I'll go back to my universe. Y'all take care.
8
So Trump is backing this plan? Why didn't he suggest it in the first place? Why did he announce just a few days ago that the subsidies should end? He's done absolutely nothing to fix Obamacare, which was sabotaged by the Republicans two years ago.
14
What, is Lamar Alexander not running for re-election and, like his fellow Tennessean, Bob Corker, willing to stick a thumb in the eye of Trumpeltskin over ObamaCare?
Strange days, indeed. And in Trump country, too.
2
This deal happened so "fast" because Alexander and Murray had been working on it prior to the last-ditch attempt to destroy the ACA around the Graham-Cassidy disaster. This deal has been available for months. Let's see what the big mouth "deal maker" will do. Or rather, what his right-wingnut Bannonites tell him to do. He doesn't know about, or care about, policy.
9
The party of NO without any substitute is still at it. Perhaps there might be a THINKING Republican or two left in the Senate!
4
Yes, but mostly on the Democrat side.
1
Congress has reasonable adults. WH is an adult daycare center.
4
Call your representatives and Senators and tell them to support this bill. Without it, the federal government is pulling the rug out from under students, entrepreneurs, pre-65 retirees, and countless others. This is not an insurance company bailout. It helps people actually be able to see a care provider when they're sick without going bankrupt.
9
Good. "Checks and Balances" against at least some of the evil being done by Donald The Terrible.
5
Don't get excited. I'm sure Lucy will still pull the ball away right when Charlie Brown is ready to kick it.
15
Congress is going to work around Trump so real people don't
get hurt.
Good on them.
6
Makes sense. Baby steps for the kindergarteners.
2
Why would Lamar Alexander do something so mature, which, I thought, shows that he is fed up of Trump's pettiness, and then give credit to Trump by saying that Trump encouraged him to make the deal? Be strong enough to defy Trump, and be proud of it; like Jeff Flake. There is also Bob Corker, too, but he started doing so only after deciding not to run for reelection.
2
Just a put surtax on the incomes of Democrats. They're the ones who want to provide charity on the taxpayers' dime.
1
Wealthy Democrats do vote to raise their own taxes because they do care for other Americans. It appears that as a Republican you would let people die in the streets if, after you underpay them for their labor, they can't afford their medical bills.
3
The ACA is the law of the land, an act of Congress. No president, no matter how many delusions of grandeur or no matter what his dictatorial urges are, can legally render it nonfunctional. Someone really needs to point this out.
8
I just took a Lyft car to the doctor. The driver, a young widow with a five-year-old son, lost her husband a year ago. She drives for Lyft full time and spends much of her "free time" struggling to maintain health insurance for herself and her child. She needs surgery for a painful condition, but it is hard for her to plan for the future, given what is going on in Washington. I got out of the car, saw my doctor, and paid not a dime. Next month, I will have my yearly physical and mammogram, and again pay not a dime.
It is unacceptable, in this modern "gig" economy, that my driver, who works just as hard as I do, cannot be guaranteed access to appropriate health insurance. On top of the obvious ethical issues, our current healthcare system is economically stupid. How can the driver maximize her productivity in the workforce -- and her son maximize his education -- if they are not in good health?
14
Big deal, now a few more things:
1. Execute the provisions of article 25 and remove the incompetent FM trump from the presidency along with the religious fanatic Pence.
2. Scrap all attempts to restore 19th century states rights legislation. The US has to grow up, face the new century and declare the civil war over along with all the other trappings of veiled discrimination,, white supremacy, and erotion of voting rights.
3. Eliminate the electoral college that gave us this FM trump.
4. Health is a human right not a commodity, and since democracy requires an informed citizenry, free education at all levels.
5. Establish freedom of the press by underscoring News with verifiable truth, FOX is a detrement to our nation. I say considering Trump it borders on treason.
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Senator Murray is a fine example of the type of person we need in Congress. I commend Sen. Alexander for his working with her.
Now for the big question: will the Republic party finally put the interests of the country and both parties' constituents ahead of their craven fundamentalists, gun manufacturers and other right wing extremists.
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