Category: Healthcare Law

The GOP’s incredible, shrinking Obamacare repeal

Donald Trump’s presidency is off to an explosive start: A clash with the media over crowd size on Inauguration Day; the theatrical unveiling of a Supreme Court nominee; and the launch of an immigration crackdown that sparked nationwide protests. But across town on Capitol Hill, Republican lawmakers have been working away at the monumental task of overhauling Obamacare in the opposite fashion – quietly, slowly and with little fanfare.

Conservative Judge Gorsuch is Trump’s Supreme Court choice

President Donald Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch, a fast-rising conservative judge with a writer’s flair, to the Supreme Court on Tuesday, setting up a fierce fight with Democrats over a jurist who could shape America’s legal landscape for decades to come. At 49, Gorsuch is the youngest Supreme Court nominee in a quarter-century.

Could California go it alone with Obamacare? How much are you willing to pay?

As President Donald Trump and the Republican majority U.S. Congress work to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, California officials continue to look for ways to keep as much of the law as possible. That’s a question lawmakers might be asking residents in the months to come as President Donald Trump and the Republican Congress scurry to repeal the Affordable Care Act and scramble for a plan to replace it.

Woman impersonated lawmaker’s wife, snuck into GOP retreat

A woman impersonated the wife of a GOP lawmaker and snuck into the congressional Republican retreat in Philadelphia Thursday, the same day President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence appeared, retreat organizers told lawmakers late Saturday. The revelation came as the nonprofit Congressional Institute that organizes the retreat investigates how audio of the gathering leaked.

Judge puts N.C. Medicaid litigation on hold Updated at

Litigation between Republican state lawmakers, federal officials and new Gov. Roy Cooper’s administration on his effort to expand Medicaid to hundreds of thousands of North Carolina residents has been put on hold for a couple of months. A federal judge delayed the proceedings Friday, as requested this week by GOP legislative leaders and federal health regulators now part of President Donald Trump’s administration.

Republican lawmakers worry if ‘Trumpcare’ doesn’t deliver

Republican lawmakers are fearful about the potential political fallout if their eventual replacement of President Barack Obama’s health law doesn’t deliver, and they didn’t hold back at their recent policy conference. “We’d better be sure that we’re prepared to live with the market we’ve created,” Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., was quoted as saying in Saturday’s Washington Post, one of the media organizations that obtained an audio recording of a private session at last week’s GOP strategy retreat in Philadelphia, “That’s going to be called ‘Trumpcare.’

With Trump on their side, conservatives see hope in lengthy abortion fight

Sensing a political opportunity they have not had in more than a decade, social conservatives are preparing for a lengthy fight over abortion rights that promises to widen the culture war fissures that Republicans have tried for years to bridge. Two fights loom in Washington that are galvanizing the right as it solidifies control of two branches of government and moves to dominate the third: an effort in Congress to eliminate Planned Parenthood’s federal funding and President Donald Trump’s forthcoming choice of a Supreme Court nominee.

Watch live: Trump addresses Congressionala

Watch live: Trump addresses Congressional Republicans at annual policy retreat The USA TODAY NETWORK will have live coverage of this event. Check out this story on dailyworld.com: http://usat.ly/2jBz6Nt Congressional Republicans will hear from President Donald Trump Thursday at their three-day annual policy retreat in Philadelphia.

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The Trump administration has ordered a freeze on federal grant spending at several government agencies, from the Environmental Protection Agency to the Department of Health and Human Services, followed by memos telling employees not to send out news releases or to create social media posts, blog entries or official website content, and to consult with senior officials before speaking to the press.

Trumpcare’s Cruel Magic ThinkingBy David Cay Johnston

On day one of his presidency, President Donald Trump took over ownership of the mess that is America’s healthcare system. Both politically and practically Trump’s action placed full responsibility for improving on the Affordable Care Act , aka Obamacare, on his administration and the Republican-controlled Congress.

Trump to inherit $559B deficit, stable economy

WASHINGTON >> President Donald Trump has inherited a stable economy and a government that is on track to run a $559 billion budget deficit for the year, congressional analysts said Tuesday. The estimates from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office say the economy will hold relatively steady, with economic growth rising slightly to 2.3 percent this year and unemployment averaging less than 5 percent for the duration of Trump’s term.

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Jerry Brown is coming off a blockbuster year of liberal wins: He secured an extension of landmark climate change legislation, signed off on an increase in California’s minimum wage, expanded family leave laws, toughened gun laws, and persuaded voters to both soften sentencing laws and reject a ballot measure that would have threatened two of his legacy projects. Yet Brown delivers his State of the State address Tuesday facing far more precarious circumstances than a year ago, largely due to circumstances beyond his control.

KanCare problems never end

In Gov. Sam Brownback’s State of the State address on Jan. 10, he lauded KanCare as an innovative Medicaid program that’s gaining national traction: “Fortunately for our budget, Kansas had the foresight to reform Medicaid – a policy others are following.

Repeal of Obamacare without a replacement would increase US debt

Here is the problem Republicans face with their opposition to the 2010 health-care law signed by President Barack Obama: Getting rid of it without approving a substitute would increase the federal debt, provide wealthy people with a tax cut and cause as many as 20 million Americans to lose their health care. Although Vice President Mike Pence told CNN last week that “step one is to repeal the taxes and the mandates” in the law known as Obamacare and “at the same time pass a replacement bill,” neither he nor congressional Republicans have provided specifics of a plan.

President Trump’s ACA executive order appears to target Obamacare mandate

President Trump’s sweeping order against Obamacare late Friday appears to give the new administration enough leeway to target the most unpopular aspect of his predecessor’s law – a mandate requiring Americans to get covered or pay a fine, policy analysts said. The executive order, issued hours after Mr. Trump was sworn into office, also sets the stage for selling insurance across state lines and eyes “greater flexibility to states” in implementing health programs, which are key tenets for Republicans looking to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act alongside Mr. Trump.

Our Opinion: Different paths to poor choices

Federal cabinet positions are really no place for amateurs and/or those whose special interests may be counter to the best interests of the country at large. The Donald Trump cabinet contains examples of both, and the effort of friendly Republican congressmen to hasten them through hearings last week couldn’t disguise this.

The Latest: Mattis promises military that’s ‘ready to fight’

Defense Secretary James Mattis is telling military personnel and their families that his actions are aimed at making sure “our military is ready to fight today and in the future.” Mattis said in a statement Friday evening that he recognizes that “no nation is secure without friends” and is pledging to “work with the State Department to strengthen” the nation’s alliances.

The Latest: Protesters say police used rubber projectiles

Protesters and an Associated Press photographer say police fired rubber projectiles at them during demonstrations against President Donald Trump in downtown Washington. An AP photographer says he was hit three times by projectiles – once on his left shin and twice on his right – while covering demonstrations Friday.

Republican Governors Worried About Obamacare Repeal

On the eve of Donald Trump’s inauguration, nearly a dozen Republican state executives traveled to Capitol Hill to share with GOP senators their concerns about the impact repealing the health care law would have on the poorest beneficiaries in their states. More than a dozen Republican governors accepted, to varying degrees, federal funds offered under the Affordable Care Act to expand Medicaid coverage in their states.

Blame insurers, not Obamacare

Blame insurers, not Obamacare The recent op-ed by Congressman Scott Perry misleads your readership on the effects of the Affordable Care Act. Check out this story on ydr.com: http://on-ydr.co/2jDAkLh The recent op-ed by Congressman Scott Perry seriously misleads your readership on the effects of the Affordable Care Act and the Republican plan to repeal it.

California withdraws immigrant health care request

California officials on Wednesday withdrew their request to sell unsubsidized insurance policies to people who can’t prove they’re legally in the United States after learning the decision would fall to President-elect Donald Trump’s administration. Calling the decision “the first California casualty of the Trump presidency,” Sen. Ricardo Lara said he doesn’t trust the incoming administration to protect people’s privacy and health.

These courageous HIV advocates will lead the way against Trump in 2017

Donald J. Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress are a threat to everything HIV advocates have been fighting for during the last thirty years, and that includes access to healthcare, bans on insurance companies using HIV as reason to deny coverage, HIV prevention programs like PrEP, and the dignity with which we treat those who are most vulnerable to HIV infection. This new political reality is reflected in the 2017 list of HIV Advocates to Watch from Queerty health writer Mark King’s blog My Fabulous Disease .

Pointed questions await Trumpa s pick for health secretary

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR, Associated Press WASHINGTON – With coverage for millions of people at stake, Rep. Tom Price is facing pointed questions about President-elect Donald Trump’s health policies – and his own investments in health care companies – from senators considering his selection as health secretary.

Obamacare more popular than ever before, poll finds, even as GOP plans to repeal it

A new poll suggests President Barack Obama’s besieged health care plan is more popular than it’s ever been, even as congressional Republicans and President-elect Donald Trump prepare to dismantle it. The poll finds 45 percent of respondents think that the Affordable Care Act is a good idea, the highest percentage since the NBC News/ Wall Street Journal poll began asking the question in April 2009.

CBO: 18 million more Americans would be uninsured under 2016 GOP repeal

Insurance premiums would soar and some 18 million Americans would lose health coverage if Republicans partially repeal President Barack Obama’s health care law without a replacement, Congress’ nonpartisan budget office estimated Tuesday. The Congressional Budget Office analyzed a GOP 2016 repeal measure, which Republicans have cited as a starting point for their 2017 drive to dismantle and replace Obama’s health overhaul.

Fear spurs support for health law as Republicans work to repeal it

Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., at podium, cheers health care workers to save the Affordable Care Act across the country outside LAC+USC Medical Center in Los Angeles, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017. The rally was one of many being staged across the country in advance of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20. Trump has promised to repeal and replace the health care law, and the Republican-controlled Senate on Thursday passed a measure taking the first steps to dismantle it.