September was a busy month in healthcare. The Cassidy-Graham bill, a last hurrah “repeal and replace” bill under budget reconciliation, failed to gain the necessary support and never made it to a vote in the Senate. Even after state-specific efforts to rally support, Senators John McCain, Susan Collins, and Rand Paul opposed the bill…
As Republican’s time to pass a healthcare bill under reconciliation runs out, Senators are rushing to gain support for one last repeal and replace bill. Reconciliation, the process that allows a bill to pass the House and Senate with only a majority, expires at the end of the September. Republicans, led by Sen. Bill Cassidy from Louisiana…
On Thursday, August 10th at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, President Donald Trump announced the opioid crisis a national emergency. In addition to a symbolic gesture, this announcement allows the administration to allocate funding for expanding treatment facilities, waive some federal rules and restrictions, and supply…
The Trump administration has been undermining public support for Obamacare through a public relations campaign led by Republican Tom Price, the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Price is using taxpayer dollars meant to encourage enrollment in the ACA to instead launch a social media and video campaign designed…
After another GOP failure on the health care front, members of Congress resorted to more incremental legislation. Congress is working across the aisle to counter President Trump’s threats to encourage the implosion of Obamacare and cut off subsidies for health insurers known as cost-sharing reduction payments. Without these…
In the early hours of Friday morning, Senator John McCain of Arizona unexpectedly voted against a “skinny repeal” of Obamacare. The skinny repeal would have eliminated some controversial parts of the Affordable Care Act, such as individual and employer mandates, Planned Parenthood funding, and more. This latest bill would..
On Tuesday, the GOP accepted another defeat on the healthcare front, conceding once again to “let Obamacare fail” on its own. This conclusion comes after a delay due to lack of support, a delay due to John McCain’s medical leave, a few unpopular amendments with hopes of rallying Republican support, and even a repeal…
On Tuesday, Republican strategist and Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell was forced to delay the vote on the repeal and replace of the Affordable Care Act. He had ambitiously planned to push the bill that he wrote behind closed doors through the Senate before the July 4th recess, but could not unite the Republican party…
While the Russia investigation and other scandals exploit much of the media attention, big developments may be taking shape in healthcare. The only problem is that no one knows what exactly these developments are. Instead of traditional bipartisan committee hearings, meetings with health experts, and input from industry…
The Trump administration drafted a rule to roll back federal requirements to include contraceptives in health insurance packages. The Obama administration mandated free contraceptive coverage under the Affordable Care Act, although it was highly controversial. The mandate saved women across the country $1.4 billion…
Attorney General Jeff Sessions put out a recent memorandum requiring federal prosecutors to “charge and pursue the most serious, readily provable offense”. This memo asks prosecutors to seek and prosecute suspects for the crimes with the harshest penalties; that includes prosecuting…
The American Health Care Act (AHCA) passed in the House of Representatives on May 4, 2017. The Republican-sponsored bill aims to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Under the AHCA, Medicaid expansion would be rolled back, and its status as an entitlement program would end. Instead the House Bill calls