GOP Floats Another Obamacare Repeal “Compromise”

Talking Points Memo reports:

With the end of President Trump’s first 100 days fast approaching, House Republicans appear ready to take another stab at reviving an Obamacare repeal bill that was pulled from the House floor last month due to lack of support and has since has been the focus of several rounds of unsuccessful negotiations.

The latest compromise was worked out between Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC), chair of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus Chair, and Rep. Tom MaCarthur (R-NJ), who co-chairs the GOP centrist wing, the Tuesday Group, the Huffington Post reported. It would allow states to opt out of various Obamacare insurer mandates.

To receive waivers, states would have to prove that their programs would “reduce premium costs, increase the number of persons with healthcare coverage, or advance another benefit to the public interest in the state, including the guarantee of coverage for persons with pre-existing medical conditions,” according to a white paper outlining the amendment surfaced by Politico.

States also would only be able to opt out of Obamacare’s community ratings standards – which prevent insurers from jacking up premiums based on health status – if they set-up a high-risk pool or participate in a federal high risk pool.

There’s much more at the link.