Category: US Politics

The Trump GOP Prescription For America: Don’t Get Sick

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Donald Trump still insists he’s going to Make America Great Again! Mind you, it won’t be a healthy or vigorous America — in fact, it will be coughing and wheezing to the grave, but boy, will it be great! If you ever needed further evidence that Trump doesn’t give a single good goddamn about the people who elected him, just look at his treacherous turnabout on health care. This Republican “repeal and replace” bill stinks on so many levels I’m tempted to say it should be taken far out to sea and dumped into the deepest depths of the Mariana Trench but I have too much regard for marine life, even the kind with the big googly eyes and the really scary teeth.

Higher premiums trigger decline in Arizona insurance signups

A doubling of individual health insurance premiums in Arizona for 2017 triggered a sharp decline in Affordable Care Act signups among people who don’t qualify for tax credits that offset their costs, according to a new analysis. The review by University of Arizona health insurance expert Dr. Daniel Derksen of data released by the federal government last week shows a 23 percent decrease in enrollment by that group.

Trumpcare critics share fear, anxiety

Senator Bill Nelson met with a group of people who would be among those hardest hit if Congress approves a new health care plan that’s expected to come up for a vote this week in the House of Representatives. Senator Bill Nelson met with a group of people who would be among those hardest hit if Congress approves a new health care plan that’s expected to come up for a vote this week in the House of Representatives.

Sen. Cotton: GOP risks losing House majority if health bill approved

Republican Sen. Tom Cotton said GOP members of the House should not “walk the plank” by approving the Republican health care bill, warning that it could cost the party the House majority and put the entire GOP agenda at risk. “I would say to my friends in the House of Representatives with whom I serve, ‘Do not walk the plank and vote for a bill that cannot pass the Senate and then have to face the consequences of that vote,” Cotton told ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos.

Sen. Cotton: GOP risks losing House majority if health bill approved

Republican Sen. Tom Cotton said GOP members of the House should not “walk the plank” by approving the Republican health care bill, warning that it could cost the party the House majority and put the entire GOP agenda at risk. “I would say to my friends in the House of Representatives with whom I serve, ‘Do not walk the plank and vote for a bill that cannot pass the Senate and then have to face the consequences of that vote,” Cotton told ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos.

Hospitals worry about caring for newly uninsured in GOP plan

When Colorado expanded Medicaid coverage under former President Barack Obama’s health care law, the largest provider in the Denver region hired more than 250 employees and built a $27 million primary care clinic and two new school-based clinics. Emergency rooms visits stayed flat as Denver Health Medical Center directed many of the nearly 80,000 newly insured patients into one of its 10 community health centers, where newly hired social workers and mental health therapists provided services for some of the county’s poorest residents.

Hospitals worry about caring for newly uninsured in GOP plan

When Colorado expanded Medicaid coverage under former President Barack Obama’s health care law, the largest provider in the Denver region hired more than 250 employees and built a $27 million primary care clinic and two new school-based clinics. Emergency rooms visits stayed flat as Denver Health Medical Center directed many of the nearly 80,000 newly insured patients into one of its 10 community health centers, where newly hired social workers and mental health therapists provided services for some of the county’s poorest residents.

Sunday shows preview: Trump admin makes healthcare pitch

White House budget chief Mick Mulvaney is hitting the Sunday show circuit this week as the Trump administration and GOP leaders ratchet up the pitch for their proposal to repeal and replace ObamaCare. Mulvaney, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, is slated to appear on CNN’s “State of the Union” and ABC’s “This Week.”

Trump appointee who called Muslims ‘maggots’ booted from DOE

A massage therapist with no apparent experience of energy policy was terminated from the Department of Energy after it was revealed that he has a habit of making racially charged comments about Muslims and former President Barack Obama over social media. After working as a Trump campaign operative in New Hampshire, Sid Bowdidge was employed as an “assistant” to Energy Secretary Rick Perry shortly after President Trump’s inauguration, despite having no relevant experience, two employees at the nuclear weapons agency told BuzzFeed News on Friday .

Next week: Healthcare price tag, veterans and Trump nominees

House Republican leaders next week will continue to sell conservatives on their proposal to repeal and replace Obamacare as their controversial legislation churns through a third committee, and government number crunchers provide a much-anticipated price tag. The House Budget Committee will take up the American Health Care Act, introduced to staunch conservative criticism earlier this month.

Bill would reduce women’s services

Women seeking abortions and some basic health services, including prenatal care, contraception and cancer screenings, would face restrictions and struggle to pay for some of that medical care under the House Republicans’ proposed bill. The legislation, which would replace much of former President Barack Obama’s health law, was approved by two House committees on Thursday.

House GOP health bill would cut women’s services

The proposed bill would prohibit for a year any funding to Planned Parenthood, a major provider of women’s health services, restrict abortion access in covered plans on the health exchange and scale back Medicaid services used by many low-income women, among other changes. WASHINGTON>> Women seeking abortions and some basic health services, including prenatal care, contraception and cancer screenings, would face restrictions and struggle to pay for some of that medical care under the House Republicans’ proposed bill.

Roger Stone, Trump confidant, acknowledges ‘innocuous’ Twitter conversation with DNC hackers

But on Friday, during a brief conversation with conservative newspaper Washington Times , Stone admitted to exchanging complimentary direct messages – i.e. palling around with Guccifer 2.0. “It was so perfunctory, brief and banal I had forgotten it”, the political consultant told The Times on Friday with respect to a private Twitter exchange he had with “Guccifer 2.0”, a pseudonymous entity explicitly tied to the DNC hack. Stone told The Times in an email Thursday evening.

Republicans Battle Over Health Care Bill

Conservative Republicans demanded tougher changes Friday in insurance requirements and Medicaid than the House GOP health care bill proposes and warned they’d oppose the legislation if it isn’t reshaped. The White House signaled an openness to negotiate, but there was resistance from House leaders.

Questioning othersa choices adds to divide

… their wealthy donors. This divide was brought to light again this past week during a discussion about the American Health Care Act, the Republicans’ proposed replacement for the Obama administration’s Affordable Care Act. During an interview on CNN, …

.com | House GOP health bill would cut women’s services

Women seeking abortions and some basic health services, including prenatal care, contraception and cancer screenings, would face restrictions and struggle to pay for some of that medical care under the House Republicans’ proposed bill. The legislation, which would replace much of former President Barack Obama’s health law, was approved by two House committees on Thursday.

Trumpcare’s biggest losers: Trump voters

… by a margin of 59 percent to 36 percent. The plan is especially disastrous for groups who typically face the highest health care costs: older and rural Americans. That’s because the tax credits offered are flat across the board instead of varying …

Legislatorsa pay raise

An independent council, created by a voter-approved constitutional amendment, will raise state lawmakers’ salary from $31,100 to $45,000. Lawmakers pay has not risen for nearly two decades.

Morning Bits

Interpretation of the news based on evidence, including data, as well as anticipating how events might unfold based on past events President Trump meets with Republican leaders including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , center, and Rep. Kevin McCarthy at the White House. In other words, those who know anything about health care hate it.

GOP bill cuts women’s health plans

Women seeking abortions and some basic health services, including prenatal care, contraception and cancer screenings, would face restrictions and struggle to pay for some of that medical care under the House Republicans’ proposed bill. The legislation, which would replace much of former President Barack Obama’s health law, was approved by two House committees on Thursday.

The Dark Cloud over the Trump Presidency

… that the Democrats have won the battle and there will be, sooner rather than later, a single payer government run health care system in the United States. Beyond the spending and other provisions in the bill, this legislation is essentially an …

GOP health plan would cut mandated drug treatment, mental health coverage

The Republican proposal to replace the Affordable Care Act would strip away what advocates say is essential coverage for drug addiction treatment as the number of people dying from opiate overdoses is skyrocketing nationwide . Beginning in 2020, the plan would eliminate an Affordable Care Act requirement that Medicaid cover basic mental-health and addiction services in states that expanded it, allowing them to decide whether to include those benefits in Medicaid plans.

Walorski Votes to Advance Obamacare Repeal Legislation

U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski Wednesday released the following statement after voting in the House Ways and Means Committee to advance portions of the American Health Care Act : “We are one step closer to ensuring Americans have access to quality, affordable health care. The American Health Care Act will repeal Obamacare and replace it with a patient-centered system that puts individuals and families back in control of their health care decisions.

‘Game Change’ reporting team to write about Trump election

The reporting team that brought us the best-selling campaign books “Game Change” and “Double Down” are set to write about the stunning election of Donald Trump. Penguin Press announced Thursday that it has a deal with Mark Halperin and John Heilemann for a book about the 2016 presidential election.

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore

Health care legislation proposed by Republicans to replace Obamacare has received a barrage of criticism from outside conservative groups, as well as a number of prominent members of Republicans’ own caucus, such as Sen. Mike Lee. Many have speculated that the current bill is dead on arrival.

Obamacare replacement gets boost from House GOP faithful

On the 5th anniversary of Klaus’ defeat, Marcel welcomes the un-sired vampires to New Orleans only to find they pose an unexpected threat to House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., speaks during a news conference on the American Health Care Act on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 7, 2017. WASHINGTON – The American Health Care Act has President Trump’s seal of approval and took its first step on Wednesday at two public hearings toward putting down a conservative rebellion and winning congressional endorsement.

Conservatives support Medicaid changes to Obamacare plan

An influential bloc of House conservatives backed two proposed changes to the Obamacare replacement plan Thursday, saying it could soften their general opposition to the broader GOP proposal. The Republican Study Committee, which boasts roughly 170 members, wants to freeze Medicaid enrollment under Obamacare’s generous funding rates at the end of this year, rather than letting states herd more people into expanded programs until 2020.

Mike’s Blog Round Up

… of interest. Kellyanne Conway wasn’t thrilled when Fox News’ Bill Hemmer tried to relabel the new House bill on health care, “Trumpcare.” MSNBC’s Mark Halperin asked the OMB director how many fewer people would have health insurance under Trump’s …