health care

The GOP has a problem with paying for kids’ basic care

health care, News, Republicans

Fifty-six days after Congress failed to fund the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), some American children are at risk of losing their health insurance. The deadline to renew the program’s funding was Sept. 30, and Congress hasn’t granted the program $15 billion to continue.

As a result, the popular state-level insurance program for low-income children and pregnant women is facing a funding cliff. While some states may be able to keep the program going thr...

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How one GOP senator went from saving Obamacare to being OK with undermining it

health, health care, News, obamacare, politics

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) casted a pivotal vote over the summer, where she — along with Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and John McCain (R-AZ) — saved the Affordable Care Act (ACA) from being repealed. She didn’t just vote against repeal once; she voted against three different G.O.P. health bills and shot down another in September.

But on Tuesday, she said she supports legislation that most health experts say will undermine the current health law. In an op-ed in the...

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Murkowski ready to prioritize Arctic drilling over healthcare

climate, health, health care, News, politics

In an op-ed published in a local Alaskan paper last week, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced that she supports repealing the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate, saying that she “always supported the freedom to choose.”

Murkowski was a key vote in stopping repeal of the Affordable Care Act earlier this year, but there’s one crucial difference this time around: repealing the individual mandate is tied to the Republican’s tax bill, which also inclu...

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Obamacare’s most unpopular provision is important. Here’s why.

health, health care, News, obamacare

Jim Cooke is looking to purchase health insurance this open enrollment period on Maryland Health Connection, the state’s Obamacare exchange. He usually pays the penalty for not having insurance, due to the individual mandate under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). But for him, this year is different.

“It’s not urgent, I’d just feel more comfortable,” Cooke told ThinkProgress. “I’m 61 now, and I think I better have this coverage.”

C...

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Congress still hasn’t renewed CHIP funding, 9 million children could soon lose health coverage

congress, health, health care, News

It has been 51 days since Congress allowed the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to expire. Since then, states have been grappling with the reality that nine million children may soon lose critical health care coverage.

While CHIP has historically received support from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, this year, Congress has allowed disagreements over the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to take precedence over reauthorizing funding for the program. Things are now especially...

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Tax reform or health care reform? Senators to include repeal of key Obamacare mandate in tax bill

health care, News, Senate

Sen. John Thune (R-SD) told reporters Tuesday that Senators will try to repeal a key component of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), with some members looking to the tax reform bill as a vehicle. The move to repeal the individual mandate as part of the Senate legislation is projected to result in 13 million uninsured, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). It’s also a critical provision for keeping the ACA marketplace stable.

The Senate Finance Committee — which...

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Activists went all out to save Obamacare. Now they’re fighting for opioid recovery funds.

health, health care, News, resistance

It’s Phil Krauss’ first time protesting on Capitol Hill. He’s an advocate who kicked heroin three years ago when he was 32 years old.He’s new to organizing but he’s surrounded by veterans, many who were just at the Russell Senate Office Building two months ago trying to save the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

About 50 activists — affiliated with a host of grassroots organizations — met for the first time Monday in Washington, D....

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Trump to nominate former pharmaceutical executive to head Health and Human Services

Donald Trump, health care, News, politics

President Trump will nominate former pharmaceutical executive Alex Azar as his Health and Human Services secretary, the president tweeted Monday morning.

“Happy to announce, I am nominating Alex Azar to be the next HHS Secretary,” Trump tweeted. “He will be a star for better healthcare and lower drug prices!”

Happy to announce, I am nominating Alex Azar to be the next HHS Secretary. He will be a star for better healthcare and lower drug prices!

&md...

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