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February, 2018

In crafting the ACA, Democrats worked hard and failed to win Republican support, and they worked hard, with some success, to win support from doctors, hospitals, pharma and other “stakeholders.” But that support – from doctor and hospital groups in particular – was lukewarm at best eight years later as Republicans pressed their repeal efforts. And so, according to Pollack: “The lesson Democrats have learned politically is that they’re alone. They’re not going to get Republican support. They’re not going to get stakeholder support for some of the most critical things.” Pollack added that Democrats have also learned from the tactics Republicans used in their bids to ram through ACA repeal bills (very nearly successful) and tax cuts (successful) via budget reconciliation, a Senate maneuver that avoids filibuster and so can enable a bill to pass with just 51 Senate votes. (That would solve the problem, highlighted by Timothy Jost, of winning over the most moderate and vulnerable Democratic senators.) “Democrats will be much more ruthless the next time around,” Pollack asserts.

Medicare for (almost) all, brought to Earth

February 23, 2018 – There's not much for beneficiaries of such a system not to like. Medicare Extra promises all-but-universal access to virtually all… Read more

Health Wonk Review: Going for the Gold Edition, February 15, 2018

Health Wonk Review for February 15, 2018

February 15, 2018 – It’s February 15, so sorry … no Valentine Edition of Health Wonk Review this week. The good news? I’m all swept up in the Olympic… Read more

Enrolling like their lives depend on it

February 7, 2018 – More Americans are appreciating the Affordable Care Act more than ever – and they're showing it by continuing to enroll in ACA-compliant… Read more