Obamacare Deal: Senators, President Trump Announce Stabilization Plan

WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander Patty Murray reached a bipartisan deal to stabilize the Affordable Care Act for a short period on Tuesday. The announcement followed President Trump's decision to cut off cost-sharing reduction payments to insurance companies, a key subsidy in the health care law, commonly known as Obamacare.

Alexander, a Tennessee Republican, and Murray, a Washington Democrat, had been working on a bipartisan health care agreement in September, before efforts at a last-ditch Obamacare "repeal and replace" plan for the GOP picked up steam. That bill eventually failed to reach a floor vote.

The bill would extend the cost-sharing reductions for two years. Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer endorsed the deal, joined by Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders and Murray. They said the details of the deal are continuing to be worked out. Reports suggest the plan will include some flexibility for states to experiment with allowing more short-term insurance or the selling of skimpier plans.

Watch: Trump Supports Health Insurers' Payment Deal

Trump offered support for the new Alexander-Murray deal at a press conference Tuesday with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. (For more information on this and other political stories, subscribe to the White House Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

"It is a short-term solution so that we don't have this very dangerous little period," Trump said. "We'll have a very good solution."

In his comments earlier in the speech, he branded Democrats as obstructionists and said their policy was unworkable. He repeated his support for a bill like Graham-Cassidy, which would reduce federal health care spending and block-grants money on a state-by-state basis.

It's not clear yet if the agreement will have enough support in Congress to pass. Paul McLeod, a reporter for BuzzFeed News, said that House Speaker Paul Ryan has been dismissive of the deal, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has shown little enthusiasm for it.

During a press conference, Democrats Murray and Schumer both emphasized that the deal would have "anti-sabotage" provisions, which would prevent Trump from "blowing up" the Obamacare markets. Trump has repeatedly said his best option would be to let Obamacare "implode."

Earlier in the day, Trump said Obamacare was "virtually dead."

According to Talking Points Memo, the plan will provide funds for states to advertise the Obamacare marketplaces. The Trump administration has slashed funding to publicize the upcoming enrollment period, which begins on Nov. 1 and lasts only until Dec. 15.

"We are going to have a great solution, ultimately, for health care, OK?" Trump said Tuesday. "But they are working together. And I know very much what they are doing, OK?"

Watch: Dems Praise Health Move, Slam Budget

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