The tax bill that Republican lawmakers are finalizing would have wide-reaching effects on health issues. But the GOP still has negotiating ahead to get a bill that both the House and Senate will support. That hasn’t stopped some party leaders from looking forward to additional plans to revamp programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.
The tax overhaul Republicans are pushing toward final votes in Congress could undermine the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance markets and add to the financial squeeze on Medicare over time. Lawmakers will meet this week to resolve differences between the House- and Senate-passed bills in hopes of getting a finished product to President Donald Trump’s desk around Christmas. Also in play are the tax deduction for people with high medical expenses, and a tax credit for drug companies that develop treatments for serious diseases affecting relatively few patients. (Alonso-Zaldivar, 12/5)
The Republican effort to overhaul the tax code could send shudders through the health care system, potentially reshaping Obamacare while altering critical financial incentives affecting everyone from medical students to corporations and retirees with chronic illnesses. (Cancryn, 12/4)
The Senate bill’s repeal of the Obamacare mandate saves about $318 billion over 10 years but threatens to destabilize the individual markets, resulting in higher premiums and millions fewer people with health insurance. While House Republicans aren’t likely to balk at including repeal in the final bill, it could still be a problem for Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), a pivotal vote in the upper chamber, whose support for the final package could depend on Congress’s treatment of separate measures designed to stabilize the Obamacare markets. (Rainey, 12/4)
As House and Senate lawmakers open another phase of negotiations over a $1.5 trillion federal tax overhaul, some Republicans are emboldened about pursuing new cuts to the system of health care entitlements. U.S. Sen. David Perdue said Monday that lawmakers should “absolutely” seek changes to the Medicaid and Medicare programs to help maximize the impact of the tax cuts. He echoed other Republican officials who have suggested a push for more spending cuts should be in the works. (Bluestein, 12/4)
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Source:
Kaiser Health News (5 December 2017). “Tax Bill Shakes Up Health — From Medicare To The ACA To Medical Education” [Web blog post]. Retrieved from address https://khn.org/morning-breakout/tax-bill-shakes-up-health-from-medicare-to-the-aca-to-medical-education/