The GOP’s dramatic change in strategy to pass its health-care law
The GOP’s dramatic change in strategy to pass its health-care law
To get the Affordable Care Act passed, Democrats used a big-tent approach, convening health-care groups that did not normally talk to one another while cutting deals and strong-arming key industry players to build broad support for the plan. First, the drug companies got on board. Then came the hospitals and the doctors.“It was a little thuggish. You’d be at the table or you’d be on the menu,”.. “I think they were largely left out. This was — from what I can tell and, I think, smartly — done behind closed doors,”
.. As GOP lawmakers move their bill through the House, plowing forward without each industry’s blessing may free them from special interests, allowing them to craft a policy that reflects the desires of their voters.
.. Republicans argue that, far from rushed, the broad outlines of the bill have been out in the open since last summer, when House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) introduced his “A Better Way” proposal.
.. “Our legislation gives the American people the freedom to make their own health care decisions.”
.. PhRMA.The industry trade group agreed to $80 billion in discounts on prescription drugs under Medicare and committed $150 million to an ad campaign to help get the bill passed.Among the concessions it won in return — efforts to control drug prices under the legislation were quashed.
.. The new bill gives the industry a big tax repeal, worth nearly $25 billion over a decade
.. A pharmaceutical industry official said that the industry is not going to be taking such a public or vocal approach this time, because the ACA insurance exchanges represent a tiny fraction of its business... hospitals may feel sidelined because their willingness to take cuts and support Obama’s law is still a sore spot for some Republicans... “Republicans generally feel there’s a lot of fat that can be cut from the hospital industry,” Condeluci said... Under the new bill, insurers would get a huge tax repeal worth $145 billion over a decade, more freedom to charge young people less and old people more for insurance, and a continuous-coverage rule