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Major insurance groups call part of health bill 'unworkable'

America's Health Care Plans

If Company's try to dictate whats right and wrong for the American people, who benefits the most?

Two of the insurance industry's most powerful organizations say a crucial provision in the Senate Republican health care bill allowing the sale of bare-bones policies is "unworkable in any form," delivering a blow to party leaders' efforts to win support for their legislation.

The language was crafted by conservative Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and leaders have included it in the overall bill in hopes of winning votes from other congressional conservatives. But moderates have worried it will cause people with serious illnesses to lose coverage, and some conservatives say it doesn't go far enough.

Two of the 52 GOP senators have already said they will oppose the legislation. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell cannot lose any others for the legislation to survive a showdown vote expected next week.
The overall measure represents the Senate GOP's attempt to deliver on the party's promise to repeal President Barack Obama's health care law, which they've been pledging to do since its 2010 enactment.
The criticism of Cruz's provision was lodged in a rare joint statement by America's Health Care Plans and the BlueCross BlueShield Association. The two groups released it late Friday in the form of a letter to McConnell, R-Ky.
"It is simply unworkable in any form," the letter said. They said it would "undermine protections for those with pre-existing medical conditions," increase premiums and lead many to lose coverage.
The provision would let insurers sell low-cost policies with skimpy coverage, as long as they also sell policies that meet a stringent list of services they're required to provide under Obama's law, like mental health counseling and prescription drugs.
Cruz says the proposal would drive down premiums and give people the option of buying the coverage they feel they need.
Critics say the measure would encourage healthy people to buy the skimpy, low-cost plans, leaving sicker consumers who need more comprehensive coverage confronting unaffordable costs. The insurers' statement backs up that assertion, lending credence to wary senators' worries and complicating McConnell's task of winning them over.
The two groups say premiums would "skyrocket" for people with preexisting conditions, especially for middle-income families who don't qualify for the bill's tax credit. They also say the plan would leave consumers with fewer insurance options, so "millions of more individuals will become uninsured."
According to an analysis by the BlueCross BlueShield Association, major federal consumer protections would not be required for new plans permitted by the Cruz amendment.
Among them: guaranteed coverage at standard rates for people with pre-existing conditions, comprehensive benefits, coverage of preventive care -- including birth control for women -- at no added cost to the consumer, and limits on out-of-pocket spending for deductibles and copayments.
The bill provides $70 billion for states to use to help contain rising costs for people with serious conditions. But the insurance groups' statement says that amount "is insufficient and additional funding will not make the provision workable for consumers or taxpayers."
The Cruz provision language in the bill is not final. McConnell and other Republicans are considering ways to revise it in hopes of winning broader support.
McConnell and top Trump administration officials plan to spend the next few days cajoling senators and home-state governors in an effort to nail down support for the bill.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office is expected to release its analysis of McConnell's revised bill early next week, including an assessment of Cruz's plan.
The office estimated that McConnell's initial bill would have caused 22 million additional people to be uninsured.

McConnell delays action on health care after McCain surgery

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell R-Ky announced Saturday that he was delaying consideration of health care legislation in light of Sen. John McCain’s absence from recent surgery.

McConnell released a statement on Saturday night saying that he was deferring action on the measure as McCain recovers at his home in Arizona.

"While John is recovering, the Senate will continue our work on legislative items and nominations, and will defer consideration of the Better Care Act," McConnell said.
Surgeons in Phoenix removed a blood clot from above McCain's left eye on Friday. The 80-year-old Senate veteran was advised by doctors to remain in Arizona next week, his office said.
A procedural vote expected in the coming days had been cast as a showdown over the measure designed to replace Obamacare once and for all.
With a 52-48 majority, Republicans can afford to only lose two votes. Vice President Mike Pence would break a tie for final passage.
Two Republicans, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Susan Collins of Maine, have already said they'll vote against the measure.
McConnell and other GOP leaders have been urging senators to at least vote in favor of opening debate, which would allow senators to offer amendments. In recent days GOP leaders have expressed optimism that they were getting closer to a version that could pass the Senate.

The Left just loves Crap like this.

VP Pence Touts President’s Agenda During Pro-Business Speech

Vice President Mike Pence speaks at the Maverick PAC annual Mavericks Conference in in Washington, Saturday, July 15, 2017. The Mavericks Conference is the annual gathering of conservative young professionals. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

July 15, 2017
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Vice President Mike Pence touts the Trump Administration’s successes in front of a pro-business Super-PAC.
Pence spoke at the Mavericks Conference on Saturday and said the U.S. economy is back because of President Trump.
He says 800,000 jobs have been added since the President took office and claims he has cut through more Federal red tape than any president in history.
Pence also praised the President for his effort in securing the border, saying border crossings are down 60% since January.
He’s added the administration is firmly behind the Senate Republican Health Care bill and anticipates a vote next week.

Border Wall Construction May Start in Texas

In this Jan. 25, 2017, file photo, an agent of the border patrol, observes near the Mexico-U.S. border fence, on the Mexican side, separating the towns of Anapra, Mexico and Sunland Park, N.M. (AP Photo/Christian Torres, File) July 15, 2017

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The first segment of President Trump’s border wall could start in South Texas.
On Friday, Customs and Border Protection officials announced they are looking to begin construction in the Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge in January.
Officials say the area was chosen because the property is already owned by the Federal Government.
Customs and Border Protection plans to build an 18-foot levee wall through 3 miles of the refuge.
The site is located on the Texas-Mexico border, about 10 miles Southeast of MCallen in the Rio Grande Valley.

Illegal Alien Cartoons

Sessions says when cities protect illegal immigrants, 'criminals take notice'

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he will not stand back and let the national murder rate continue to rise.

During a stop in Las Vegas on Wednesday, the attorney general said he plans to hire 300 additional federal prosecutors to fight violent gangs like MS-13, a ruthless criminal enterprise with roots in El Salvador.

The national murder rate has increased 10 percent the past year. According to Sessions, that’s the largest increase since 1968.
Sessions was in the City of Lights to continue his fight against Sanctuary Cities. He said too many jurisdictions are still refusing to cooperate with federal authorities and are protecting criminal who, under federal law, should be deported.
SESSIONS SAYS SANCTUARY CITIES RISK LOSING DOJ, DHS GRANTS
The Justice Department is threatening to withhold federal funding from cities that don’t cooperate with federal officials in enforcing immigration laws.
"When cities like Philadelphia, Boston or San Francisco advertise that they have these policies, the criminals take notice," Sessions said in Vegas.
He said lax immigration enforcements leads to increased violence. He pointed to Kate Steinle, who was killed by an illegal immigrant in San Francisco who allegedly moved to that city because of its sanctuary status.
"Her death was preventable — and it should have been prevented," Sessions said. "He walked the streets freely because San Francisco refuses to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In fact, he admitted that one reason he was in San Francisco that day was that he knew the city had these policies in place."
SANCTUARY CITIES LOSE ACCESS TO FEDERAL GRANTS THAT REQUIRE COMPLYING WITH FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LAW – CUE THE HISTORIANS
Right now, four cities, four counties and two sanctuary states are undergoing a legal review by Sessions, including Vegas, where he urged Clark County to cooperate with ICE. In all, he said, some 300 jurisdictions refuse to cooperate with federal immigration officials.
“These jurisdictions,” he said, “are protecting criminals rather than their law-abiding residents.”
He said cooperation will help the government dismantle gangs like MS-13, which is wreaking havoc across the country.
“To take these gangs off of our streets,” he said, “we need cooperation between law enforcement at the federal, state and local levels.”

All eyes on Nevada’s Republican senator mulling ObamaCare decision

Republicans are not in the position to lose votes if they hope to repeal ObamaCare, so pressure is being placed on senators like Sen. Dean Heller, R- Nev., to declare allegiance on the newly crafted bill.

If Heller supports the bill, he would likely be parting ways with Nevada's popular GOP Gov. Brian Sandoval in a state that did not support President Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election.

But if he opposes the bill, conservative groups will likely come after them like they did earlier this year after he opposed the GOP's initial health care bill.
And Democrats plan to target his seat either way in next year's mid-term elections.
Trump on Friday tweeted encouragement to Republicans on the Hill to "do what is right for the people" and get their "failed ObamaCare replacement approved."
Trump declared a day earlier that failure would make him "very angry" and that he would blame Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
“I will be at my desk, pen in hand!” Trump tweeted.
The reworked bill Sen. Mitch McConnell presented to fellow Republicans aims to win conservatives' support by letting insurers sell low-cost, skimpy policies. At the same time, he seeks to placate hesitant moderates by adding billions to combat opioid abuse and help consumers with skyrocketing insurance costs.
Fox News' Sean Hannity took aim Thursday night at Republican senators who expressed skepticism of or opposition to the revised health care measure that would repeal and replace ObamaCare.
"You made us a promise, the American people, for seven years. You guaranteed you’d end ObamaCare," the "Hannity" host said. "You assured all of us you would develop a health care bill that actually worked for the American people. Stop your whining, roll up your sleeves, get to work, put your egos aside, get it done."
Last month, a pro-Trump group reportedly planned to launch the seven-figure ad campaign against Heller.
Heller is up for re-election in 2018 and is considered one of the most vulnerable GOP senators.
"Obamacare is collapsing. This is a crisis for the American people. There is no excuse for any Republican or Democrat to oppose the Senate health care bill outright," Brian Walsh, president of the group, said in a statement at the time. "Senator Heller ... appears to be heading down a path with Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and the radical left."