AFTER Republicans failed to agree on a replacement for the Affordable Care Act earlier this year, the cause of Obamacare repeal looked dead. Yet a revival was always possible before September 30th, when a budget measure allowing a health bill to pass the Senate with only 51 votes, rather than 60, expires. The ticking clock has spurred four Republican senators, led by Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, to have one last stab at getting a bill passed.
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Sam Brownback, governor of Kansas, heads for the exit
GOVERNORS of Kansas tend to love their job and rarely leave it early. Kathleen Sebelius, a Democrat, dithered before agreeing to leave the governor’s mansion after Barack Obama asked her to lead the introduction of the Affordable Care Act as Secretary of Health and Human Services. The current Republican governor, Sam Brown...
States hurry to fix health-insurance markets
It’s happening, sort of
NOT long ago, America’s health-insurance markets seemed to be drying up. In June 49 counties lacked any willing providers for the “individual market”, which serves 18m Americans who are not covered by an employer or the government. The Affordable Care Act, Barack Obama’s health-c...
Blame Congress for high health-care costs
IN AMERICA nearly one in every five dollars spent is on health care, a larger share than in any other country. Many of the culprits are well-known. Americans have more procedures, pay more for them, and face exorbitant administrative costs. One driver of rising costs has often been overlooked, ho...
Lobbyists go underground
Nothing to see here
ON A rainy afternoon, two sharply dressed men talk business and clink $40 glasses of wine at the Trump International Hotel, a few blocks from the White House. The recently opened hotel, which offers $65 steaks and a $100 cocktail made with raw oysters and caviar, has become popular a...
Trump’s Threats on Health Law Hide an Upside: Gains Made by Some Insurers
Despite anxiety over the Affordable Care Act’s stability, many insurance companies still participating have cut losses sharply. Some are starting to prosper.
The fix for American health care can be found in Europe
MITCH MCCONNELL was visibly distraught after the Republicans’ “skinny repeal” of Obamacare was defeated in the Senate, but he was not too out of sorts to get in a dig at Europe. The majority leader wondered acidly what ideas Democrats might have for fixing American health insurance, and noted that most...
The Trump administration still has the power to wreak havoc on Obamacare
REPUBLICANS’ latest efforts to overhaul the Affordable Care Act, Barack Obama’s health care law, failed in the Senate on the night of July 27th. Three of their Senators—Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowksi of Alaska and John McCain of Arizona—joined all 48 Democrats to vote down “skinny” repeal (see article). ...
Senate Parliamentarian Challenges Key Provisions of Health Bill
Elizabeth MacDonough on Friday challenged key provisions in the bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act, dealing another serious blow to its prospects.