Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, based her vote in favor of the Senate Republican tax cut plan on the promise Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, would back two bills to help the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchanges. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, however, isn’t making the same commitment, according to The Hill.
One of the two bills in question is the Alexander-Murray proposal, named after its cosponsors on the Senate health committee, funding cost-sharing reduction subsidies for insurers for two years in exchange for additional state “flexibility” on ACA waivers. The second is Collins’ own proposal with Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida, to provide $10 billion over two years for states to establish high-risk pools or reinsurance programs.
A source told The Hill Ryan didn’t say he opposed the bills, but more conservative members in the House, including the House Freedom Caucus, have already said they’re against adding those measures to an end-of-year spending package, arguing it would be propping up the ACA when they favor repealing it.
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John joined TriMed in 2016, focusing on healthcare policy and regulation. After graduating from Columbia College Chicago, he worked at FM News Chicago and Rivet News Radio, and worked on the state government and politics beat for the Illinois Radio Network. Outside of work, you may find him adding to his never-ending graphic novel collection.