Key senators say they have outline of health insurance deal
The agreement would involve a two-year extension of federal payments to insurers that Trump halted last week, said Sen.
In exchange,
"The definition of meaningful," Alexander said when asked what the remaining stumbling blocks were.
Alexander agreed with his negotiating partner, Sen.
The two senators planned to brief colleagues in separate
Murray and Alexander began talks on extending the payments months ago, when Trump was frequently threatening to stop the subsidies. Both said they were close to a deal, but
Trump's halt of the payments and worries about its impact have galvanized lawmakers in both parties to take action to prevent it.
Even so, strong opposition by some conservatives means the congressional fate of a compromise would be uncertain. For their part,
Alexander said Trump has twice in recent days urged him to reach a deal with Murray.
"He says he doesn't want people to be hurt in this interim," said Alexander, a reference to Trump's desire to revisit the effort to scrap Obama's statute next year.
Trump repeated his gloomy assessment of a law that's expanded health coverage to 20 million people and required insurers to cover specified services and limit costs, but has also seen premiums rise and limited competition in some regions.
"Obamacare is virtually dead. At best you could say it's in its final legs. The premiums are going through the roof. The deductibles are so high that people don't get to use it. Obamacare is a disgrace to our nation and we are solving the problem of Obamacare," he told reporters in the
Senate Minority Leader
Under Obama's 2010 overhaul, the government must pay insurers for reducing out-of-pocket expenses for lower-earning customers.
A federal judge has ruled that
Trump and some
The so-called cost-sharing reductions cost around
AP reporter
Title 3–The President – Promoting Healthcare Choice and Competition Across the United States
NAHU Supports Cost Sharing Reduction Payments
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