Campaign Action
This is apparently backward day in Washington, D.C. Popular vote loser Donald Trump just gave Democrats everything they wanted in critical budget negotiations and now this. House Freedom Caucus Chair Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) and the guy who brokered the Obamacare repeal vote in the House, Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-NJ) have an agreement on stabilizing the Obamacare markets, in line with the action the Senate is considering.
This proposal is far different from their repeal efforts, focusing on the stabilization of markets while giving states more flexibility to repeal ObamaCare regulations.
MacArthur told The Hill that he and Meadows are discussing the idea with senators as well.
"Mark and I have an agreed-upon terms sheet," MacArthur said. "It's more than just a concept. We have specific language that we've sent to a number of senators."
MacArthur said the proposal has three main pillars: funding key ObamaCare payments known as cost-sharing reductions (CSRs), giving states more flexibility on ObamaCare regulations by expanding an existing waiver program known as 1332 waivers and fighting high drug costs.
To make it slightly more nuts, MacArthur wants more funding for the CSRs—three years instead of one, as Sen. Lamar Alexander is proposing. "What I've heard is Lamar is talking about CSRs for one year," he said. "That's not going to stabilize the markets and so I go out longer than that." The sticking point, as in the Senate, will be opening up those waivers and how much of the protections the Affordable Care Act provides can be constrained. MacArthur wants to do even more than the Senate, though, "something to try to bring the cost of drugs down," he says. He's keeping the details of that secret for the moment, though, while he tries to get senators on board.
Among all the unexpected things to happen this week, a Freedom Caucus maniac agreeing to work to make Obamacare more stable is probably the weirdest (though it is only Wednesday). This development does raise the chances of legislation actually happening considerably, though.