Bipartisan healthcare plan may clear Senate, House less certain

A bipartisan proposal to stabilize health insurance markets gained momentum Thursday when enough lawmakers rallied behind it to give it potentially unstoppable Senate support (Source: “Bipartisan plan to curb health premiums gets strong support,” Associated Press, Oct. 20, 2017).

But its fate remained unclear as some Republicans sought changes that could threaten Democratic backing.

Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington said their plan had 24 sponsors, divided evenly between both parties, for resuming federal subsidies to insurers. Trump has blocked the money and without it, insurers are already raising premiums for many buying individual coverage and could flee unprofitable markets.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said all 48 Democrats — including two independents who support them — would back the measure in a vote. The measure would still have to clear the House, where Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and many conservatives have been cold to the idea, and win Trump’s signature.

Two supporters of the bipartisan plan, GOP Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, said in a statement that it “will not pass unless concerns of the House are addressed.” They said they were seeking agreement on provisions adding flexibility for states to ease some requirements of President Barack Obama’s health care law.