On Thursday night, the White House said it cannot lawfully make subsidy payments to insurers who rely on funding to reduce out-of-pocket costs for low-income ObamaCare customers. The subsidies are paid monthly, and are estimated to be worth $7 billion this year. Under the law, insurers must provide cheaper rates to members even if they…
President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order aimed at expanding access to cheaper health-insurance plans by allowing newly formed health associations that offer less coverage. Those plans would then be able to be sold across state lines, which is illegal under the Affordable Care Act. Trump said Thursday that signing the order is…
Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) surgery to remove a blood clot above his left eye has put the Senate GOP’s health-care bill in limbo, with neurosurgery experts saying his recovery could take at least a week or two. McCain’s office has suggested he could be back to work within days. Without McCain’s vote, Senate Republican leaders…
On Wednesday’s Late Show Stephen Colbert ripped the Senate GOP health-care bill and its “one major flaw”. “And I don’t want to get too wonky, but it’s a hot pile of garbage.” Senate GOP leaders delayed a vote on the bill until after the July 4 holiday, he added, and “it’s a smart move. You…
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office on Monday released its cost estimate of Senate Republicans’ health-care bill, the Better Care Reconciliation Act. The CBO score revealed that by next year, 15 million additional people would be uninsured under the plan, as opposed to under ObamaCare, the current law. By 2026, 22 million more people would be…
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) tweeted Monday evening that she will vote no on a motion to proceed on the Senate health-care bill, the Better Care Reconciliation Act. Collins made the announcement a few hours after the Congressional Budget Office released its preliminary analysis of the Republicans’ proposal, estimating that in 10 years, 22 million more…
The White House on Tuesday unveiled Trump’s first full budget. The $4.1 trillion plan includes steep cuts to Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, social services for the low-income and disabled, most federal agencies, farm subsidies, federal pension benefits, college loans, highway funds, medical research, and foreign aid, paired with billions more for the Pentagon,…
A reporter for Public News Service was arrested at the West Virginia State Capitol on Tuesday after peppering Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price with questions. Dan Heyman said he was looking to get answers about about the recently House-passed health-care plan. Heyman, who held a press conference after he posted bail, said capitol…
Former President Barack Obama on Sunday issued a plea to members of Congress to save the Affordable Care Act, just days after the GOP’s replacement plan, the American Health Care Act, passed its first hurdle in the House. “I hope that current members of Congress recognize it takes little courage to aid those who are…
Stephen Colbert mocked the GOP’s frenzy with a funny effusive account about how far the bill still has to go before becoming law. “They did it,” he began. “Obamacare is finally officially dead… is something they can say once the bill goes to the Senate, then gets out of committee, is debated on the floor,…
On Thursday, the House narrowly passed the American Health Care Act, 217-213. Every Democrat voted against the GOP health-care bill, as did 20 Republicans. 217 Republicans voted in favor. The bill passed after a lengthy struggle by Republican leadership to win over moderates who were concerned the bill threatened coverage for people with pre-existing conditions,…
A little-noticed amendment to the Obamacare repeal effort now before the House would let U.S. employers gut health coverage, The Wall Street Journal reported. Such a provision would affect about half the country, and the amendment lets states obtain waivers from certain Affordable Care Act regulations, freeing insurers from a mandate stipulating that they cover…
Thousands of people are expected to protest Saturday in Washington, D.C., and in cities around the world in March for Science events timed for Earth Day. The rallies are intended to promote popular interest in science, recognize scientific achievements, and protest the Trump administration’s proposed cuts to research funding as well as policy-making around issues…
President Trump has urged a vote on the American Health Care Act on Friday after the vote was postponed Thursday due to a lack of sufficient support to pass it. According to The Washington Post, Trump delivered an ultimatum: Pass the bill or he will move on from the repeal-and-replace cause. House Speaker Paul Ryan…
Republicans say they still plan to put the American Health Care Act up for a vote on Thursday, even as the White House and House Republican leaders continue to work to whip up enough votes to ensure passage. Late Wednesday, the White House and the conservative House Freedom Caucus reportedly reached a deal to strike…
President Trump unveiled his 2018 budget proposal Thursday, providing the clearest view yet of the policies he wants to use to deliver on his campaign promises. The plan includes a $54 billion increase in defense spending and a substantial bump for border security, while calling for deep cuts to most federal agencies, including roughly 30…
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office on Monday released its cost estimate for the American Health Care Act, the Republican proposal to replace ObamaCare. The CBO’s report says that the GOP plan would reduce the federal deficit by $337 billion by 2026, with the most savings coming from “reductions in outlays for Medicaid and from the…
John Oliver ripped apart the latest healthcare reform, referring to it as “shitty Obamacare”. He then proceed to exposes the American Health Care Act, championed by the House speaker, Paul Ryan, saying: “You may not have wanted it, it looks awful, but it’s here anyway” which he likened to “Pirates of the Caribbean 5: The…
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt said told CNBC on Thursday that carbon dioxide is not a “primary contributor” to global warming, calling for more debate and analysis on the issue. “I think that measuring with precision human activity on the climate is something very challenging to do and there’s tremendous disagreement about the degree…
GOPer Rep. Jason Chaffetz said to CNN on Tuesday that some Americans regarding to their healthcare choice may come down to buying a new iPhone or paying for medical coverage. “You know what, Americans have choices. And they’ve got to make a choice,” said Chaffet. “And so maybe, rather than getting that new iPhone that…
A new bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate—the crux of President Obama’s signature health-care law—and replace it was released on Monday. The legislation would offer individual tax credits to purchase health insurance and would reportedly keep the ACA’s protections for those with pre-existing conditions; but would allow insurers to raise premiums for…
Malaysia is ending visa-free travel for North Koreans because of security concerns, as the fallout continues over the assassination of the North Korean leader’s half-brother at Kuala Lumpur’s airport. Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced the end to the visa-free travel rules on Thursday, a day after two women were charged with murder for…
U.S. intelligence officials have withheld some sensitive intelligence from President Trump because of concerns about the information being leaked or compromised, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. This purported move underscores distrust between the intelligence community and the new administration as a result of reports that Trump’s campaign team had contacts with…
On Monday the Senate voted 52 to 47 to confirm Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) to lead the Health and Human Services Department. The party-line vote was the fourth contested Cabinet vote in a row. Democrats argued before the vote that Price, a seven-term congressman and former orthopedic surgeon, had failed to come clean about some…
Doctors say former President George H.W. Bush will soon be moved from the intensive care unit at a Houston hospital where he has been treated for pneumonia. Dr. Amy Mynderse says the 92-year-old Bush will be moved from the ICU at the Houston Methodist Hospital on Monday. Bush was struggling to breathe when he was…
Early Thursday, after voting down dozens of amendments proposed by Democrats over seven hours, Senate Republicans approved a budget resolution measure officially beginning the process to repeal the Affordable Care Act, with no replacement yet proposed. The resolution, which passed on a partisan 51-48 vote — Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) joined all Democrats present in…
President-elect Donald Trump’s Wednesday press conference devolved into a shouting match between himself and CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta. Trump yelled, “You are fake news!” as Acosta tried to press him to answer a question. The exchange was prompted by Trump calling BuzzFeed a “failing pile of garbage.” He said, “I think they’re going…
In his first press conference as president-elect on Wednesday, Donald Trump addressed the unverified documents published the prior evening alleging that Russia had blackmail materials about his financial and sexual life. The reports alleged Trump paid prostitutes to perform “golden showers” in a hotel room during one of his visits. The president-elect denied that claim…
The last time Donald Trump held a press conference, in July, he suggested that Russia should hack the emails of his opponent, Hillary Clinton. Click here to WATCH Live Donald Trump Press Conference after #GoldeShoweGate leaks Now president-elect, Trump is scheduled to face the press at 11 a.m. ET, and he will undoubtedly get questions…
President-elect Donald Trump twitted this morning about the #goldenshowersgate calling it“fake news” the new leaks to the media of alleged sex blackmail obtained by Russia. “One last shot at me. Are we living in Nazi Germany?” Trump said, declaring that he has “nothing” to do with Russia. “NO DEALS, NO LOANS, NO NOTHING!” On Tuesday,…
