Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander said Tuesday there were “zero” odds of Congress passing legislation to try to stabilize Obamacare if it isn’t included in a must-pass spending bill this week.
The Tennessee Republican’s comments to reporters come as Congress tries to finish a two-year omnibus spending package, expected to be released later Tuesday night. Alexander noted that if the stabilization package, which is aimed at compensating Obamacare insurers to reduce premiums, isn’t included, it could have a lasting impact on the Washington healthcare debate.
Sen. John Thune, the third-ranking Republican, said if the provisions aimed at stabilizing Obamacare were to be included in the omnibus, that would be negotiated ahead of time.
“I don’t think there will be a vote to add it,” Thune, R-S.D., said. “I think it’s going to be hard once that passes the House and comes over here to have additional items voted on.”
A major sticking point on the Obamacare bill is the language on prohibiting federal funds to cover abortions, known as the Hyde Amendment. The amendment has been added to appropriations bills since the 1970s, Alexander said.
He said if Democrats can’t compromise on Hyde language, it may doom any chances of future fixes to Obamacare.
“If this debate about the mechanics of how you apply the Hyde language continues to be the Democrats’ point of view, I don’t see how you can ever change the [Affordable Care Act] without repealing it and replacing it,” he told reporters.
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said she sent Alexander language last week that was acceptable to Democrats. She co-sponsored a bipartisan version of the legislation last year with Alexander. Alexander is the chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee, while Murray is its top Democrat.
“Instead of considering that, they came back and introduced a partisan bill yesterday that goes way beyond anything they know we can get,” she said.
Murray said it has been clear in the last several days that there are “those that don’t want this bill to pass anyways feel the best way to do it is stick a provision in there that precludes us from being able to support it.”
The legislation would fund Obamacare insurer payments for three years and give states $30 billion over three years to set up a reinsurance program, which covers the sickest claims from Obamacare insurers. The goal is to lower premiums on the law’s exchanges. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that premiums could decline by about 20 percent.
“We agree on broadly bipartisan policy that would give states more flexibility, and fund cost-sharing reduction subsidies as well as fund state reinsurance programs for three years,” he said Tuesday. “It has been my goal since September to include this proposal in the omnibus spending bill and that continues to be my goal.”
Murray and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, continued to talk on the abortion language Tuesday.
“We have proposed very reasonable language,” Collins said. “We make sure we maintain the exceptions so that states, private entities, and individuals can use their own money for an abortion rider on an insurance plan.”
• Kimberly Leonard contributed to this report.
