Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, secured promises from Republican Congressional leadership in December to consider her reinsurance proposal and the Alexander-Murray market stabilization bill in January, but so far no formal steps have been taken on these measures, according to The Hill.
Ms. Collins initially aimed to include the measures in a year-end stopgap bill, but she accepted promises from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., to consider the proposals in January. However, recent Congressional focus has been shifted mainly on reversing that government shutdown that went into effect last Friday, which they did with the passage of a stopgap bill Monday . Nevertheless, Ms. Collins remains optimistic.
"Our negotiations with the House are going very, very well," said Ms. Collins, according to The Hill. "The deadline slipped but the policy is what is important."
The Alexander-Murray bill funds cost reduction subsidies, though the bill's co-author, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said the bill should be rewritten to consider the recent repeal of the ACA's individual mandate.