- House May Need to Vote Again on GOP Obamacare Repeal Bill Bloomberg by Billy House—House Republicans barely managed to pass their Obamacare repeal bill earlier this month, and they now face the possibility of having to vote again on their controversial health measure. House Speaker Paul Ryan hasn't yet sent the bill to the Senate because there's a chance that parts of it may need to be redone, depending on how the Congressional Budget Office estimates its effects. House leaders want to make sure the bill conforms with Senate rules for reconciliation, a mechanism that allows Senate Republicans to pass the bill with a simple majority.
- Senators Hold Back-Channel Talks on Bipartisan Obamacare Fix Politico by Burgess Everett and Elana Schor—As Republicans try to repeal Obamacare on party lines, there are flickers of bipartisanship in the Senate—and they could become a lifeline if the GOP's party-line efforts collapse and lawmakers come under pressure later this year to respond to crippled insurance markets and rising premiums. Any cooperation on health care undercuts both parties' political strategy. Republican leaders are wary of handing any bipartisan accomplishments to the dozen or so vulnerable Senate Democrats up for reelection next year. And Democratic leaders want the GOP to fully own the beleaguered health care system going into the midterms.
- Health Care Lobbyists Wait to See If Senate More Pliable Than House on ACA Repeal Modern Healthcare by Harris Meyer—Health care industry groups are guardedly hopeful they will have more influence on the Senate's health care overhaul bill than they had on the House bill passed earlier this month. That's not saying much, given how House Republicans shut them out. And it's far from a sure thing, because Senate GOP leaders hope to push through their legislation rapidly to clear the way for passing a major tax overhaul in late summer or fall.
- Obamacare Replacement Threatens Kids' Health Coverage USA Today by Jayne O'Donnell and Ken Alltucker—The nearly $1 trillion in federal cuts to the Medicaid program approved by House Republicans threaten the record success getting these children covered by insurance and on a path to healthier lives, health experts warn. Their angst is magnified by the Sept. 30 deadline for CHIP reauthorization, which some worry will be used as a bargaining tool to get the House-passed American Health Care Act (AHCA) through the Senate. With cuts anywhere near that size, "there's absolutely no way kids can stay out of harm's way," says Joan Alker, executive director of the Georgetown University Center on Children and Families.