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Sen. Lamar Alexander Pulls Plug on Bipartisan Obamacare Fix The Tennessean by Michael Collins and Holly Fletcher — Sen. Lamar Alexander pulled the plug Tuesday on his push for a bipartisan bill to stabilize the individual health insurance market, saying he and a key Democrat had been unable to reach a deal that could pass. Alexander, a Tennessee Republican, said he and Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington “had hoped to agree early this week on a limited, bipartisan plan to stabilize 2018 premiums in the individual health insurance market that we could take to Senate leaders by the end of the month.”
“During the last month, we have worked hard and in good faith, but have not found the necessary consensus among Republicans and Democrats to put a bill in the Senate leaders’ hands that could be enacted,” said Alexander, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. Murray, the committee’s top Democrat, said the negotiations with Alexander had taken place in “good faith.”
- Trump to Make Obamacare Payments for September The Hill by Rachel Roubein — The Trump administration will make key Obamacare payments to insurers in September, though a final decision hasn't been made about future payments, a White House spokesman said Tuesday. Insurers have been seeking long-term certainty that they'll continue to receive the disbursements, known as cost-sharing reduction payments.