Sen. Lamar Alexander said he wants to add legislation to try to stabilize Obamacare’s insurance exchanges in a long-term spending deal, which Congress could pass as early as next month.
The comments from the chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee come as Congress is nearing a government shutdown Friday, with no deal for a short-term spending deal. Senate GOP leadership and President Trump have committed to the Obamacare bills, but House GOP leadership has not.
Funding for the government expires at midnight Jan. 19, and the House GOP leadership has introduced a continuing resolution that would keep the government funded through Feb. 16. However, it is not clear if it has enough votes to pass both the House and the Senate.
Alexander said Congress at some point will pass a long-term “omnibus” spending deal, which he believes is the opportunity to add the two bills.
The Tennessee Republican said the legislation would help to “lower rates on the individual market,” which houses Obamacare’s insurance exchanges. People who don’t get insurance through their job or the government use the individual market.
Alexander and Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democrat on the committee, sponsored a bill to make Obamacare insurer payments called cost-sharing reductions for two years in exchange for giving states more latitude to waive Obamacare regulations.
Another bill sponsored by Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Bill Nelson, D-Fla., gives states $10 billion over two years to set up a reinsurance program, which covers the highest claims for Obamacare insurers so they can lower premiums overall.
Both bills have enough support to pass the Senate. Collins has said that she received an “ironclad” commitment of support from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Trump.
However, the bills were not added to a short-term spending deal Dec. 22. Now supporters are searching for a must-pass legislative vehicle for the bills.
