Centrist lawmakers plot bipartisan health care stabilization bill

Centrist lawmakers plot bipartisan health care stabilization bill-politico: A coalition of roughly 40 House Republicans and Democrats plan to unveil a slate of Obamacare fixes Monday they hope will gain traction after the Senate’s effort to repeal the law imploded.

How to Repair the Health Law (It’s Tricky but Not Impossible)

How to Repair the Health Law (It’s Tricky but Not Impossible)-nytimes: Republicans have failed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Now, can it be repaired?

ObamaCare repeal: Now what?

ObamaCare repeal: Now what?-thehill: Senators who walked off the floor around 2 a.m. Friday after the stunning defeat of the latest GOP ObamaCare repeal effort face tough questions on how to move forward.

How McCain tanked Obamacare repeal

How McCain tanked Obamacare repeal-politico: Paul Ryan couldn’t persuade him. Neither could Mike Pence. And in the end, President Donald Trump couldn’t reel in John McCain either.

Senate Rejects Slimmed-Down Obamacare Repeal as McCain Votes No

Senate Rejects Slimmed-Down Obamacare Repeal as McCain Votes No-nytimes: The Senate in the early hours of Friday morning rejected a new, scaled-down Republican plan to repeal parts of the Affordable Care Act, derailing the Republicans’ seven-year campaign to dismantle President Barack Obama’s signature health care law and dealing a huge political setback to President Trump.

Some GOP Skepticism of Sending Obamacare Repeal to Conference

Some GOP Skepticism of Sending Obamacare Repeal to Conference-rollcall: Several senators are expressing skepticism about the emerging Republican plan to pass a bill rolling back “skinny” pieces of the 2010 health care law and then hope for a broader agreement in a conference committee with the House.

Republican Gamble on Fast-Track Rules for Health Care Hits Wall

Republican Gamble on Fast-Track Rules for Health Care Hits Wall-nytimes: With the economy stagnating and Congress bridling at President Richard Nixon’s heavy-handed spending controls, lawmakers in 1974 created a fast-track procedure to help make the tough decisions on rising budget deficits and swelling entitlement spending.

House GOP wary of ‘skinny’ repeal

House GOP wary of ‘skinny’ repeal-politico: Senate Republicans appear to be slowly coming around to “skinny” repeal as the only way to pass a bill overhauling Obamacare. House Republicans aren't so sure.

GOP Hopes for Obamacare Repeal Rest on ‘Skinny’ Bill

GOP Hopes for Obamacare Repeal Rest on ‘Skinny’ Bill-rollcall: Senate Republican hopes to overhaul the U.S. health insurance system appear to hinge on the passage of a “skinny” bill that would only repeal a select few provisions in the 2010 health care law.

Democrats Cast Wide Net in Shaping ‘Better Deal’ Platform

Democrats Cast Wide Net in Shaping ‘Better Deal’ Platform-rollcall: Democrats are set to unveil their “Better Deal” agenda Monday afternoon. Over the past seven months, the House Democrats’ campaign arm has sought to foster unity around an economically focused agenda through meetings with stakeholders and conversations with voters.

How the GOP brought Obamacare repeal back from the dead

How the GOP brought Obamacare repeal back from the dead-politico: As Mitch McConnell strode to the Senate floor on Tuesday, with no votes to spare to keep the GOP’s Obamacare repeal campaign alive, he knew where everyone in his conference stood. Everyone, that is, except for Ron Johnson.

No Budget, No Tax Reform: GOP Faces Reality of Remaining Agenda

No Budget, No Tax Reform: GOP Faces Reality of Remaining Agenda-rollcall: “Clearly, no budget, no tax reform.”

The 7 steps ahead for Senate Republicans in their wild ride to repeal Obamacare

The 7 steps ahead for Senate Republicans in their wild ride to repeal Obamacare-vox: Senate Republican leaders are promising to vote this week on a health care bill. That’s about all we know for sure.

McCain to make dramatic return for Obamacare vote

McCain to make dramatic return for Obamacare vote-politico: Senate Republicans appear on the verge of having enough votes to start debate on Obamacare repeal, with the dramatic announcement Monday night that Sen. John McCain, diagnosed with brain cancer just a few days ago, would return to Washington for the Tuesday vote.

Democrats launch economic agenda ahead of 2018 campaign

Democrats launch economic agenda ahead of 2018 campaign-politico: Democratic leaders in the House and Senate will unveil a broad economic agenda Monday, hoping to unite the disparate wings of their caucuses and win back working-class voters who fled the party last year.

How Bad Political Manners Fomented the Health Care Mess

How Bad Political Manners Fomented the Health Care Mess-rollcall: A president whose brand is all about flouting basic political manners is getting matched in misbehavior more and more by fellow Republicans in Congress. 

Senate parliamentarian: Anti-abortion provisions in GOP health care bill violate budget rules

Senate parliamentarian: Anti-abortion provisions in GOP health care bill violate budget rules-cnn: The Senate Republican health care bill has run into another major problem, as key anti-abortion provisions -- a major selling point to conservatives -- have been ruled to run afoul of Senate rules, endangering them altogether.

Cornyn: Knowing health plan ahead of vote is 'luxury we don't have'

Cornyn: Knowing health plan ahead of vote is 'luxury we don't have'-thehill: Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), the No. 2 Senate Republican, on Thursday said knowing what the Republican healthcare bill will be before a procedural vote is a "luxury we don't have."

Under fire for opposing health bill, Mike Lee hits back

Under fire for opposing health bill, Mike Lee hits back-politico: Mike Lee hears the chorus of critics, with blame from the establishment wing of the GOP cascading on the Utah senator for being the Republican that stopped Obamacare repeal. And he's ready to respond.

Senate Republicans complain of chaos in healthcare effort

Senate Republicans complain of chaos in healthcare effort-reuters: U.S. Senate Republicans, scolded by President Donald Trump for failing to overturn Obamacare, tried to salvage their seven-year effort for a new healthcare law on Thursday, but leading senators indicated frustration over shifting goal posts.

Conservatives Plot Payback for Obamacare Repeal Failure

Conservatives Plot Payback for Obamacare Repeal Failure-rollcall: With the effort to repeal the 2010 health care law on the brink of failure, conservatives are warning that the Republican base will abandon the party. And some are already turning on GOP senators holding up the process.

Freedom Caucus to try to force vote on Obamacare repeal

Freedom Caucus to try to force vote on Obamacare repeal-politico: House conservatives are launching a late effort to force their colleagues to vote on an outright repeal of Obamacare.

Senate Republicans still at impasse after late-night health care meeting

Senate Republicans still at impasse after late-night health care meeting-politico: A key group of Senate Republicans met late into the night Wednesday to try to salvage their health care bill, but emerged without any breakthroughs and still appeared far from finding the votes to repeal Obamacare.

Republicans’ Push to Overturn Health Law Is Back From the Dead

Republicans’ Push to Overturn Health Law Is Back From the Dead-nytimes: The Republican health care push was declared dead Wednesday morning. By afternoon it had a breath of life. Legislation in Washington can assume Frankenstein-like qualities.

Senate health care attempt may not be dead yet

Senate health care attempt may not be dead yet-axios: Three Republican senators say they'd vote against a bill repealing the Affordable Care Act without replacing it — but contrary to popular belief, the bill may not be dead yet, according to senior GOP aides. Republican leaders are thinking of scheduling the procedural vote tomorrow morning, the aides said, and the White House is still pushing for the Senate to pass something before it leaves for August recess.

House GOP to Stick With Partisan Strategy on Taxes

House GOP to Stick With Partisan Strategy on Taxes-rollcall: Republicans’ partisan push to overhaul the health care system failed in the Senate, but House GOP lawmakers say they plan to stick to that approach in rewriting the tax code.

Senate Health Care Failure Prompts Republican Soul Searching

Senate Health Care Failure Prompts Republican Soul Searching-rollcall: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell employed an iron fist over the Republican health care effort, keeping top lieutenants in the dark about key decisions and withholding detailed policy information from the conference as a whole until just before it was released publicly.

GOP reeling after healthcare collapse

GOP reeling after healthcare collapse-thehill: Republicans offered competing ideas for what to do next on healthcare Monday night, now that the current ObamaCare replacement effort has fallen apart.

McConnell Abandons Obamacare Repeal and Replace Effort

McConnell Abandons Obamacare Repeal and Replace Effort-rollcall: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell pulled the plug late Monday on the Republican effort to overhaul the U.S. health insurance system and pledged the chamber will now focus on only dismantling the 2010 health care law.

More hurdles as Senate again delays vote on GOP health bill

More hurdles as Senate again delays vote on GOP health bill-ap: The Senate delayed a highly anticipated vote this coming week to repeal and replace the nation’s health care law after Sen. John McCain’s announced absence due to surgery, an enormous setback as time dwindles for Republicans to pass the signature legislation after years of promises.

How the White House and Republicans underestimated Obamacare repeal

How the White House and Republicans underestimated Obamacare repeal-politico: The longer Republican efforts to repeal Obamacare flounder, the clearer it becomes that President Donald Trump’s team and many in Congress dramatically underestimated the challenge of rolling back former President Barack Obama’s signature achievement.

The Kodiak Kickback: the quiet payoff for an Alaska senator in the Senate health bill

The Kodiak Kickback: the quiet payoff for an Alaska senator in the Senate health bill-vox: Buried in Senate Republicans’ new health care bill is a provision to throw about $1 billion at states where premiums run 75 percent higher than the national average.

The Trump administration says a new plan will cut drug prices. It’s not that simple

The Trump administration says a new plan will cut drug prices. It’s not that simple-stat: When the Trump administration unveiled a new Medicare proposal this week to cut payments to hospitals as part of a drug reimbursement program, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price called the plan a “significant step toward fulfilling President Trump’s promise to address rising drug prices.”

Revised Senate Health Bill Tries to Win Votes, but Has Fewer Winners

Revised Senate Health Bill Tries to Win Votes, but Has Fewer Winners-nytimes: The revised Senate health bill has a dwindling list of winners and a bigger pool of potential losers.

U.S House reauthorizes FDA user fee on voice vote

U.S House reauthorizes FDA user fee on voice vote-meddevicedaily: Congress rarely scores a bipartisan win these days, so it was with some relish that the House of Representatives gaveled down on a voice vote on H.R. 2430, the bill that reauthorizes the FDA user fee programs for the next five years.

Senate Republicans, Preparing New Health Bill, Have No Votes to Spare

Senate Republicans, Preparing New Health Bill, Have No Votes to Spare-nytimes: The likely defection of two Senate Republicans has left their leaders no margin for error as they move on Thursday to unveil another version of their bill to repeal much of the Affordable Care Act — without an assurance that they have the votes even to begin debate next week.

Lawmakers propose $1.1B boost to NIH, defying Trump budget

Lawmakers propose $1.1B boost to NIH, defying Trump budget-thehill: The House subcommittee controlling the purse strings of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on Wednesday proposed a $1.1 billion boost for the agency, defying the Trump administration's push for cuts.

Senate moderates sidelined in new Obamacare repeal bill

Senate moderates sidelined in new Obamacare repeal bill-politco: In a closed-door meeting of Senate Republican chairmen Wednesday, Lisa Murkowski ripped GOP leaders’ attempt to scale back Medicaid spending in their Obamacare repeal bill.

F.D.A. Deal Would Relax Rules on Reporting Medical Device Problems

F.D.A. Deal Would Relax Rules on Reporting Medical Device Problems-nytimes: Makers of cardiac defibrillators, insulin pumps, breast implants and other medical devices might be able to delay reporting dangerous malfunctions to the Food and Drug Administration under an agreement heading for a vote in Congress.

Reeling Republicans take one last shot at Obamacare

Reeling Republicans take one last shot at Obamacare-politico: Twenty-three years ago, President Bill Clinton and Senate Democrats canceled two weeks of the August recess to pass a major health care bill. They got nowhere.

Senators Explore Bipartisan ‘Plan B’ to Troubled GOP Health Bill

Senators Explore Bipartisan ‘Plan B’ to Troubled GOP Health Bill-bloomberg: More than half a dozen Republican and Democratic senators have discussed alternatives to the embattled GOP health-care bill, even as Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he plans a vote next week to muscle the Obamacare repeal measure through the Senate.

Congress's Other Health-Care Problem Awaits Action on ACA

Congress's Other Health-Care Problem Awaits Action on ACA-bloomberg: Congress must renew a fee program that funds government review of new drugs and medical devices, but a legislative logjam over the Senate’s health-care overhaul stands in its way.

GOP senator: I need 'a complete overhaul to get to a yes' of the health care bill

GOP senator: I need 'a complete overhaul to get to a yes' of the health care bill-cnn: Sen. Susan Collins told CNN she needs a "complete overhaul" of a health care bill during a quick interview in the Senate hallways on Monday.

Health Care’s Senate Mountain Stage

Health Care’s Senate Mountain Stage-rollcall: The front-runners have now formally entered a potentially bruising Republican Senate primary in West Virginia, even as the state’s incumbents are in the middle of the health care debate.

Cruz Walks Health Care Tightrope, With Eye on 2018

Cruz Walks Health Care Tightrope, With Eye on 2018-rollcall: One hour into Sen. Ted Cruz’s town hall meeting on veterans issues in McKinney, Texas, on Wednesday night, a doctor stood up and told him, “You all are scaring the living daylight out of us with the health care nonsense you’re doing.”

Senate Returns No Closer to Health Care Deal

Senate Returns No Closer to Health Care Deal-rollcall: Senate Republicans return to Washington, D.C., on Monday from a 10-day recess no closer to a deal on legislation to overhaul the U.S. health insurance system, with little time left on the calendar and other agenda items piling up.

Computer-Simulated Tests Eyed at FDA to Cut Drug Approval Costs

Computer-Simulated Tests Eyed at FDA to Cut Drug Approval Costs-bloomberg: Computer simulations may get a role alongside human testing as part of an effort to bring new medications and medical devices to market more quickly and cheaply.

GOP Sen. John Hoeven comes out against health care bill

GOP Sen. John Hoeven comes out against health care bill-cnn: Sen. John Hoeven is the latest Republican senator to come out against party leaders' plan to repeal and replace Obamacare, sharing his reservations at a roundtable in North Dakota this week.

McConnell says limited bill needed if GOP health bill dies

McConnell says limited bill needed if GOP health bill dies-ap: A bill focused on buttressing the nation’s insurance marketplaces will be needed if the full-fledged Republican effort to repeal much of President Barack Obama’s health care law fails, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Thursday.

Utah's Hatch planning 2018 run, but wife's unease gives him pause

Utah's Hatch planning 2018 run, but wife's unease gives him pause-ap: The 83-year-old Hatch said he suspects he'll need to decide before the end of the year, but said he's not putting any hard timeline on it.

‘Repeal now, replace later’ will kill the GOP’s health-care reform

‘Repeal now, replace later’ will kill the GOP’s health-care reform-washingtonpost:When King Solomon proposed splitting the baby, he knew that actually splitting the baby would have killed it. It was a ruse to save the child. Yet some Republican senators don’t seem to understand that splitting the GOP health-care bill — the “repeal then replace” approach — will similarly kill both the prospects of health-care reform and quite possibly the GOP’s control of Congress.

If Republicans reach a health care deal, it must survive this obscure Senate rule

If Republicans reach a health care deal, it must survive this obscure Senate rule-vox: The fate of the Republican drive to repeal and replace Obamacare — and of the millions of Americans who could be left uninsured if it succeeds — could come down to a complex and obscure Senate rule.

How the GOP Medicaid overhaul could become the next fiscal cliff

How the GOP Medicaid overhaul could become the next fiscal cliff-politico: The Senate health care bill, if it becomes law, would set in motion a massive rollback of Medicaid funding beginning in three years. But even some Republican supporters acknowledge the full cuts might never happen.

The Senate GOP’s health care stalemate, in one chart

The Senate GOP’s health care stalemate, in one chart-vox: Mitch McConnell needs 50 of the 52 Senate Republicans to vote for his health care bill. That’s a 96 percent success rate. That was never going to be easy, and it hasn’t been made any easier by the competing and sometimes contradictory demands from the right and center wings of his conference.