Lamar Alexander prepared to trade insurance funds for state flexibility

Sen. Lamar Alexander, chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said Thursday that appropriating funds to insurers to help ease the cost of Obamacare premiums was a reasonable tradeoff for a bill that would give states flexibility.

“To get a result, Republicans will have to agree to do something, additional funding through the Affordable Care Act, that some are reluctant to support. And Democrats will have to agree to something, more flexibility for states, that some may be reluctant to support,” the Tennessee Republican said during his opening statements at a HELP committee meeting to discuss the Obamacare exchanges.