Alexander floats tweak to ObamaCare fix after Trump tweet

by Peter Sullivan - 10/18/17 11:59 AM ET

Senate Health Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) is trying to keep alive his deal with Democrats on ObamaCare by floating changes to clarify language.

President Trump tweeted a heavy blow to the deal on Wednesday morning by saying he cannot support “bailing out” insurance companies, a reference to payments to insurers that the deal would continue to help fund discounts for consumers.

Alexander’s proposed change is to strengthen language in the bill making sure that insurance companies lower their premiums or pass rebates on to consumers and don’t just keep the payments, known as cost-sharing reductions, for themselves.

{mosads}”He and I absolutely agree that CSRs should benefit consumers and not insurance companies,” Alexander tweeted about Trump, referencing the payments.

“The Alexander-Murray agreement has strong language to do that, and I will work with the president to see if we can make it even stronger,” he added.

Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), his negotiating partner and ranking member on the Health Committee, has said she is willing to strengthen this language as well.

However, it is in doubt that this change, which does not alter the overall contours of the deal, would be enough to win the support of Trump or the many resistant Republican lawmakers.

Tags cost sharing reductions Health care Lamar Alexander ObamaCare Patty Murray