- How Trump can use Obamacare to kill Obamacare Politico by Dan Diamond—Conservatives who railed against Barack Obama's vast powers to build up the Affordable Care Act declared vindication Saturday with President Donald Trump’s executive order to tear it apart. Trump's order, which encourages Health and Human Services, the IRS and other agencies to work toward dismantling the ACA, doesn't confer any new powers on the executive branch. But Trump explicitly instructs his agencies to use their existing powers to weaken the law “to the maximum extent permitted by law,” regardless of congressional action to repeal it.
- Obamacare Repeal Heads to Committees Modern Healthcare—Congress has approved the first step toward dismantling the Affordable Care Act. By a near party-line 227–198 vote, the House approved a budget Friday that prevents Democrats from using a Senate filibuster to derail a blueprint that would repeal and replace President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law. Friday's passage was critical because it takes 60 votes to end filibusters, while Republicans have a 52-48 Senate majority. Now, Republicans in Congress must decide which parts of Obamacare to end and how to help protect up to 30 million people who received coverage under the ACA's provisions and its Medicaid expansion.
- Republicans Move to Spend Billions on Obamacare—Before They Kill It Politico by Jennifer Haberkorn—On their way to killing Obamacare, Republicans are leaning toward funding up to $9 billion in health care subsidies this year to keep the program afloat—even though they sued the Obama administration to stop those exact payments. The move is the most significant sign yet that the GOP is serious about propping up Obamacare temporarily to provide a smooth transition to a yet-to-be disclosed Republican replacement. The irony is deep.
