Sen. Chuck Schumer Cartoons

HHS' Price argues new ObamaCare overhaul bill could cover more Americans

Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price argued Sunday that more Americans would have insurance under the Senate Republicans’ new health care bill, compared to the 2010 ObamaCare law they've been trying to replace. But the Congressional Budget Office analysis of the bill, which would project those coverage numbers, will not be released Monday as anticipated.   

“One of the interesting things that's in this bill ... is the opportunity to make certain that those folks that actually fell into a gap below 100 percent of the poverty level, but above where a state might allow individuals on the Medicaid system... this bill provides for coverage for those individuals through the tax credit process," Price said on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.” “That hole was not covered before.”

He suggested that tax credits in the new bill would in part help those who had previously fallen into that coverage gap.
“That’s something that’s new,” said Price, a doctor. “That also is one of the reasons that we believe we’re going to be able to cover more individuals on this bill than are currently covered.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was expected to hold a key vote this week on the overhaul bill.
But the nonpartisan CBO apparently slowed its efforts to make that deadline after McConnell delayed the vote until Arizona GOP Sen. John McCain can return to Washington. He underwent surgery last Friday to removal a blood clot behind one eye and is expected to be gone at least a week.
The CBO’s analysis of Senate Republicans’ first ObamaCare overhaul bill this year -- released before Congress’ July 4 recess but which lacked enough support to even get a vote -- concluded 22 million more Americans would be uninsured, compared to ObamaCare.
Price and other Washington Republicans have argued that CBO projections are not exact and that the office was off on its ObamaCare numbers, too.
“CBO doesn’t even capture those individuals who say to the federal government, ‘I don’t want the plan that you think I need. I want the plan that I know I need for myself and for my family.’ So those numbers are so flawed in terms of what actually happens in the real world,” Price said.
Price also said he recently returned from the annual National Governors Association meeting where state leaders said they want the overhaul bill to have “flexibility” to designing a Medicaid program “for their own population” and want it to include adequate resources to insure the “vulnerable population.”

Schumer: McCain's return won't save health care bill

Ever watch the Wizard of OZ?

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters Sunday there is no saving the Republicans’ health care bill despite the extra time they have in wake of Sen. John McCain’s emergency eye surgery.

McCain, R-Ariz., had surgery Friday to remove a blood clot over his left eye.

“Time is not the problem in the present health care bill,” Schumer said, according to the New York Daily News. “The problem is the substance. It slashes Medicaid, which has become something that helps middle class New Yorkers and millions of Americans.”
Schumer has led the Democrats’ charge in trying to kill the bill.
“This bill should be scrapped because it hurts middle class Americans too much at the same time that it gives tax breaks to the wealthy,” he said. “Instead, have Democrats and Republicans sit down and work together on improving Obamacare, specifically making premiums lower and health care better.”
Despite growing pessimism, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price said in an interview on “Sunday Morning Futures” that more Americans would have insurance under the GOP health bill, compared to the 2010 ObamaCare law they have been working to replace.
“One of the interesting things that's in this bill ... is the opportunity to make certain that those folks that actually fell into a gap below 100 percent of the poverty level, but above where a state might allow individuals on the Medicaid system... this bill provides for coverage for those individuals through the tax credit process," Price said. “That hole was not covered before.”
Price also said that tax credits in the new bill would in part help those who had previously fallen into that coverage gap.
Despite Price’s pep talk, support of the health care bill seemed to diminish even further. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who does not favor the proposed bill, said he did not think Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., had enough votes to get the bill through the Senate.
“I don’t think he does” have the votes,” Paul said in an interview on “Fox News Sunday.” “We won four elections on repealing ObamaCare … but this doesn’t.”
Paul has argued that the measure gives too much subsidy money to health insurance companies in the ObamaCare program.
“That is not a Republican idea, to give taxpayer money to a private industry,” Paul, a doctor, said about the bill's so-called “temporary stabilization fund” that is now at about $200 billion.
Republicans had hoped to get a vote to the floor this week, but McCain’s surgery pushed it back.
The Congressional Budget Office also will not release its score of the Senate GOP bill. An earlier report said the last proposal would leave 22 million people without health insurance by 2026.

Sen. Majority Whip: Debate on Health Care Bill Will be ‘Open Process’

OAN Newsroom
In an effort to pass health care reform, the Senate Majority Whip says the debate over the latest bill will be an ‘open process’.
On Sunday, Texas Senator John Cornyn claimed republicans and democrats will be able to offer an amendment to the current draft.
He also blasted democrats for their lack of cooperation saying if the left won’t participate in health care reform, GOP leaders will have to come up with another plan.
Cornyn also expects a vote on the latest bill to take place when Arizona Senator John McCain returns to congress after recovering from surgery.
The vote on the Senate’s health care legislation was suppose to take place this week, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the vote will be delayed until McCain returns.

Pres. Trump to Kick-Off New Made in America Messaging Campaign Monday

Look out Wal Mart

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The Trump Administration is set to kick-off a new ‘Made in America’ messaging campaign at the White House Monday.
The event will reportedly celebrate American companies that manufacture their products in the U.S.
The ‘Made in America’ showcase will host locally made products from all 50 states and display them on the White House lawn.
And later this week, President Trump is expected to reiterate the importance of American manufacturing as he commissions a new aircraft carrier in Virginia.
The new campaign will continue throughout the rest of July.