One Step Forward, Two Steps Back on Healthcare Reform

Around Washington, this week’s talk is centered on Senate consideration of the Budget Resolution. While the resolution doesn’t have the force of law, it does include instructions for budget reconciliation, which will allow for consideration of the long awaited tax reform package now being assembled by House and Senate leadership in conjunction with the White House.

There is some question about whether the budget has the votes to pass, with Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) indicating he will vote against it. However, in a recent conversation with CDA staff, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) said that he believes the budget has an 80% chance of passage.

Additionally, the highly touted agreement between Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) on a short term fix to stabilize the insurance markets by funding the Obamacare premium subsidies in the short term and allowing states some flexibility is being panned by some stakeholders. While the buzz around a bipartisan agreement was initially strong, mixed signals from the President and a lack of support from the House may have doomed the proposal already.