The news comes as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has reportedly promised Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, the Alexander-Murray bill will pass this year, providing funding for ACA cost-sharing subsidies to insurers. A deal between the two would likely involve attaching both Alexander-Murray and a reinsurance bill Ms. Collins introduced with Sen. Bill Nelson, R-Fla., to the spending bill, according to the report. Ms. Collins’ part of the deal would likely be a “yes” vote on tax reform.
The report notes Ms. Collins has said Alexander-Murray and a reinsurance bill need to pass since a proposed Republican tax bill includes a repeal of the ACA’s individual mandate.
But some House conservatives have been less than enthusiastic about the idea of attaching the bipartisan measures to the spending bill. For instance, Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows, R-N.C., told The Hill, “I don’t see supporting a CR [spending bill] with Alexander-Murray attached to it. I’ve been one willing to look at CSR payments as part of a transition but not with what Sen. Collins, who I respect — she’s talking about reinsurance. That’s actually adding more money to a failing system. It just doesn’t work, and I think it would have a very high hurdle here in the House to pass.”
For the full story, including more comments from lawmakers, read the full report here.
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