McCain Returns To D.C., U.S. Senate Will Tackle Health Care

The U.S. Senate schedule for Tuesday, July 25, 2017, is brief but includes the much-watched and very important health care issue that Republicans will bring to the floor with a procedural vote to begin debate on repealing the Affordable Care Act (background here).

From the Senate website this morning:

The Senate stands adjourned until 12:00 noon on Tuesday, July 25, 2017.

Following Leader remarks, we expect Senator McConnell to move to proceed to the consideration of Calendar #175, H.R.2810, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018, until moving to proceed to the reconciliation vehicle (Republican health care bill) post-lunch.

That’s it.

Yet Senator John McCain, sidelined in Arizona last week after doctors diagnosed brain cancer, is flying back to D.C. because his vote is needed as Republicans work to repeal the Affordable Care Act aka Obamacare. There is a razor-thin margin between passage and failure.

On Monday McCain’s office released this press release:

“Senator McCain looks forward to returning to the United States Senate tomorrow to continue working on important legislation, including health care reform, the National Defense Authorization Act, and new sanctions on Russia, Iran and North Korea.”

Stay tuned….

 

 

Speaker Bill Howell pushes back at WaPost editorial on Medicaid expansion

By Lynn R. Mitchell

On Sunday the Washington Post editorial board took aim at Virginia Republicans generally, and specifically at Speaker Bill Howell (see ‘Massive resistance,’ again, in Virginia). Speaker Howell responded to the broad-brushed accusations in a statement:

“This editorial is patently offensive to not only me, but also to the many honorable men and women serving in the House of Delegates and the millions of hard-working taxpayers who share our deep public policy concerns about Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act. To compare the legitimate and widely-acknowledged policy concerns we have with Medicaid expansion to the shameful and ignorant policy of massive resistance is not only outrageous, it is, frankly, indefensible.

Ed Gillespie offers alternative health care plan

Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell

By Lynn R. Mitchell

It’s here! Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ed Gillespie has rolled out his alternative health care plan to counter Obamacare, to good reviews (see Ed Gillespie, Senate candidate in Virginia, unveils alternative to Affordable Care Act by Rachel Weiner).

WSJ: ‘Health Care and the $20,000 bruise’

By Lynn R. Mitchell

The Wall Street Journal has an interesting article today from Dr. Eric Michael David who writes a first-hand account about his young son’s emergency room visit that turned out to be nothing more serious than a bruise on his head, and his shock at receiving a $20,000 charge. Because he is a doctor (and a lawyer), he was able to navigate the medical system to negotiate the bill but his experience is a lesson to us all.

McAuliffe, Medicaid, vetoes, and Bell

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Governor Terry McAuliffe held a news conference Friday (see Terry McAuliffe: Statement on 2015-16 budget actions) to announce his intentions with the state budget and Medicaid. The Roanoke Times noted:

Medicaid expansion … looking for solutions instead of just saying no

By Lynn R. Mitchell

It’s an interesting stand-off in Augusta County with the discussion (or lack of for some) about Medicaid expansion and what to do about those who fall through the cracks of coverage. If I listen to those to the political right of me, the solution is that we should do nothing, shut down, just say no.