Impeachment push threatens bipartisan efforts on healthcare costs

Republicans and Democrats in Congress have worked together on issues such as drug prices and surprise medical bills, but bipartisan healthcare talks may end after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., announced a formal impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, according to The Hill.

Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, is among those who are skeptical that bipartisan healthcare talks will continue. He is the lead Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee, which is working on legislation to address surprise medical bills.

The impeachment push "makes a toxic environment more toxic," he told The Hill. "It can poison a lot of good work that is being done in a number of areas like surprise medical bills and lowering healthcare costs."

A drug pricing bill introduced by Ms. Pelosi and another proposal sponsored by Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., faced some opposition before the impeachment inquiry was launched and may face additional roadblocks.

Democrats have "destroyed any chances of legislative progress" by pushing for impeachment, the White House said in a Sept. 24 statement to The Hill.

Access the full article from The Hill here.

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