Daily on Healthcare: House Democrats tee up vote to neutralize Trump Obamacare actions

HOUSE DEMOCRATS TEE UP VOTE TO NEUTRALIZE TRUMP OBAMACARE ACTIONS: After giving backers of the Medicare for All Act a hearing in the House last week, leadership is now turning its attention toward quickly advancing bills to protect and extend Obamacare.

The House will vote later this week on the first of several Obamacare bills that are expected to pass in May but are not expected to make it past the lower chamber. The party is working to demonstrate its differences from Republicans, who failed to repeal the healthcare law and most of whom won’t work to block the Trump administration’s actions. The measures are also set up to bring along Democrats who would prefer more sweeping changes to the healthcare system, by arguing that it’s more urgent to show they are addressing Obamacare now, when the Trump administration is asking for the law to be thrown out in court.

The bill receiving a vote later this week is titled the Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act. Its main focus is to block the Trump administration’s guidance about 1332 waivers. The Trump administration wants states to use the waivers in ways that would help people get less expensive coverage. Federal officials are framing the provision as a way to “mitigate the damage done by Obamacare.”

The Trump administration released the guidance in October and has insisted that all proposals must contain protections for patients with pre-existing illnesses, but the proposals could allow customers to use federal subsidies to buy coverage that is cheaper but less expansive.

Despite encouragement from officials, so far states aren’t lining up to file waivers. The 1332 waivers were written very narrowly in statute, and nearly all of those that have been authorized have been for reinsurance, which has support from both Republicans and Democrats.

Still, House leaders view it as a political opportunity, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., announced the vote on Twitter during the weekend, saying the lower chamber would vote to “strengthen protections for Americans with pre-existing conditions.” The bill was originally introduced by Rep. Ann Kuster, D-N.H.

It likely won’t be taken up in the Republican-controlled Senate, but it gives Democrats an opportunity to show they are committed to the healthcare law and to put Republicans in a tough spot.

Good morning and welcome to the Washington Examiner’s Daily on Healthcare! This newsletter is written by senior healthcare reporter Kimberly Leonard (@LeonardKL) and healthcare reporter Cassidy Morrison (@CassMorrison94). You can reach us with tips, calendar items, or suggestions at [email protected]. If someone forwarded you this email and you’d like to receive it regularly, you can subscribe here.

HOUSE TO VOTE ON BIPARTISAN DRUG PRICING BILLS: The Obamacare legislation isn’t the only item getting a vote this week. The House is set to vote on the Purple Book Continuity Act by Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., and the Orange Book Transparency Act by Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill. Both would provide more information to generic companies about patents and exclusivity, with the orange book dealing with brand-name drugs and the purple book pertaining to biologics.

TENNESSEE SENDS BLOCK GRANT BILL TO GOVERNOR: Tennessee lawmakers sent a bill to Republican Gov. Bill Lee on Friday that would have officials set in motion a plan allowing the state to receive Medicaid as a block grant. The bill would mean that the amount Tennessee receives in funding would freeze to the level that it is this year, though officials would have more flexibility about how they use the money.

The state will need the blessing of the Trump administration. It’s not clear officials will sign off on it, even though the Trump administration has pushed for the measure. Block grants have been a long-sought goal of conservatives as a way to control spending.

BOOKER SUPPORTS MEDICARE FOR ALL BUT IS STILL A “PRAGMATIST”: Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker said to CNN’s Jake Tapper Sunday that he still supports a “Medicare For All” bill that would eliminate private insurance plans while allowing individuals to stay on their private plans. The New Jersey senator says, however, that he is a “pragmatist” and knows that allowing Americans to choose their private plans over government insurance will help the bill pass quickly and with wider support. “I’m telling you right now, we’re not going to pull health insurance from 150 million Americans who have private insurance who like their insurance — my union friends, brothers and sisters, who have negotiated for their health insurance,” he said.

BIDEN CLAIMS HE ‘DOESN’T HAVE TIME’ TO GIVE DETAILS ON HIS HEALTHCARE PLAN: Former Vice President Joe Biden won’t give details on how he plans to offer a public healthcare option for Americans. He said in Iowa City last week: “I don’t have time; I don’t want to keep you standing any longer.” Then, in South Carolina, he stressed that healthcare is now a “human right” — but declined to point to a specific bill when speaking about a Medicare buy-in program.

ANTI-ABORTION GROUP LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN TO HIGHLIGHT DEMOCRATS’ ‘EXTREME’ VIEWS: The anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List has launched a $200,000 radio and digital campaign to highlight what they call extreme pro-abortion views of Govs. Steve Bullock, D-Mont., and Roy Cooper, D-N.C. Both governors oppose bills in their states to protect babies born after botched abortions. A bill to limit protections for babies has arrived on Bullock’s desk and SBA List is pressing the governor to “change course and sign the legislation on his desk that would protect children born alive after failed abortions.”

KANSAS FAILS TO ADVANCE MEDICAID EXPANSION: The Kansas House held the state budget hostage Friday into Saturday, urging the Senate to vote on a Medicaid expansion plan passed by the House before the budget’s advancement to the Senate for a vote. In the end, pro-expansion House Republicans gave in and switched their votes, sending the budget to the Senate without a Medicaid expansion vote. Republican House Speaker Ron Ryckman said that “the ultimate goal was to ensure we have funding for government and that our schools are funded.” The Senate ultimately passed the House-approved budget, and it will now go to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s desk for approval. Kelly pledged to expand Medicaid within her first 100 days in office, but is having trouble bringing a measure to a vote in the Republican-majority Senate.

FLORIDA SENATE ADVANCES SYRINGE EXCHANGE BILL: The Florida Senate voted unanimously to allow needle exchange programs to open statewide. The bill will now go to GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is expected to sign it. The state legislature authorized the pilot program in 2016, and the first center opened its doors in Miami in December of that year. The program is credited with placing hundreds of users in Miami-Dade county in rehabilitation programs and has almost single-handedly stemmed the HIV epidemic in the county.

JOHN KELLY JOINS BOARD OF COMPANY RUNNING SHELTER FOR MIGRANT CHILDREN: Former White House chief of staff John Kelly has joined the board of directors of the company that operates the country’s largest shelter for unaccompanied migrant children. Caliburn International runs a facility in Homestead, Fla., that began expanding in December to be able to hold more than 3,000 migrant children.

GERMAN HEALTH MINISTER WANTS TO MANDATE MEASLES VACCINATIONS: German Health Minister Jens Spahn drafted legislation to mandate to vaccinate children entering schools or face a fine of 2,400 euros, which equates to about $2,800. Spahn says he has widespread support for his drafted law from both the ruling conservative coalition of Chancellor Angela Merkel as well as left-leaning Social Democrats. His proposed legislation comes amid a worldwide debate about vaccinations and whether they should be obligatory, as the number of measles cases in the U.S. has surpassed the highest rate since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000.

EBOLA CASES IN THE CONGO REACH 1,495: The World Health Organization said Thursday the number of confirmed Ebola virus disease cases and probable cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have reached about 1,495 with 984 fatalities. As of April 30, a total of 415 Ebola patients treated at WHO treatment centers have been discharged. WHO is working treat Ebola virus outbreaks in the Congo but are frequently met with violent attacks from Congolese militias, who destroy treatment centers and block WHO from making progress in the most affected areas.

The Rundown

Bennington Banner Lessons seen in Vt. healthcare failure A look back at state’s single-payer effort

The New York Times A pregnant woman avoids transit, parents battle in court and other tales of measles anxiety

Reuters U.S. doctors use medical records to fight measles outbreak

Stat Scientists see hope in a rare disease drug Wall Street has all but written off

The Associated Press Judge says Alabama failed to protect prisoners from suicide

CNBC Bernie Sanders spooks health-care stocks as Trump teaches investors to expect the unexpected

Calendar

MONDAY | May 6

Noon. 214 Massachusetts Ave. NE. Heritage Foundation event on “Casualties of Surrogacy: Women for Rent, Infants for Sale, LGBT Rights for Hijacking.” Details.

TUESDAY | May 7

10 a.m. 430 Dirksen. Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing on “Implementing the 21st Century Cures Act: Making Electronic Health Information Available to Patients and Providers.” Details.

WEDNESDAY | May 8

10 a.m. 1100 Longworth. House Ways and Means Committee on paid family and medical leave. Details.

10 a.m. 2322 Rayburn. Energy and Commerce Committee Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee hearing on “Ban Asbestos Now: Taking Action to Save Lives and Livelihood.” Details.

10:15 a.m. 215 Dirksen. Senate Finance Committee hearing on “Medicare Physician Payment Reform After Two Years: Examining MACRA Implementation and the Road Ahead.” Details.

THURSDAY | May 9

10 a.m. 2322 Rayburn. Energy and Commerce Committee Health Subcommittee hearing on “Lowering Prescription Drug Prices: Deconstructing the Drug Supply Chain.” Details.

FRIDAY | May 10

1 p.m. National Press Club. 529 14th St. NW. Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former director of the Food and Drug Administration, speaks at headliners luncheon. Details.