Congress revisits Obamacare, this time with a bipartisan twistWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress was wrestling with healthcare again on Tuesday, as lawmakers from both parties considered some approaches beyond simply repealing and replacing Obamacare. The widened healthcare discussion appeared unlikely to yield dramatic changes soon, but marked a shift from the long-running, Republican effort to gut 2010’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as Obamacare is formally known. Republicans’ last attempt in July to overturn former Democratic President Barack Obama’s signature healthcare law fell one short in the Senate in a humiliating defeat for President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. In one Senate committee, a bipartisan effort was under way on Tuesday to repair Obamacare without repealing it, led by the Republican health committee chairman, Lamar Alexander, and the panel’s top Democrat, Patty Murray. They want to stabilize the Obamacare individual insurance market by protecting its “cost-sharing subsidies.” Those payments go to insurers to help reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses for low-income Americans enrolled in Obamacare. Trump, who made repealing and replacing Obamacare a major campaign promise, has repeatedly threatened to stop the payments, which insurers say would force a 20 percent premium price increase. Alexander, who also wants states to have more flexibility to design health insurance plans under Obamacare, said on Tuesday the goal was a “small bipartisan step” that could break the years-long partisan stalemate over the law. The Tennessee lawmaker said he hoped to have a bipartisan consensus proposal by sometime next week, although it was unclear if McConnell would bring such a measure to the floor. He was noncommittal when asked about it on Tuesday. Some Republicans were supportive. Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson said if the government did not keep funding the cost-sharing subsidies, insurance premiums would likely rise and the government would have to spend more money on tax credits that help consumers afford the premiums. “The insurance companies get their money either way,” Johnson told Reuters. Maine Republican Susan Collins, who voted against repealing and replacing Obamacare in July, said she hoped to support the bipartisan Obamacare repair effort. “Based on the hearings so far, (I) would expect to,” she said. The effort was being watched closely by companies such as Anthem Inc (ANTM.N), which has trimmed the number of states and counties in which it will sell Obamacare plans in 2018. The company said on Tuesday it was still working with some state regulators on its market participation for next year [L2N1LT17A]. Anthem and other insurers have a deadline of Sept. 27 to finalize their 2018 Obamacare roles. Separately, independent Senator Bernie Sanders, a 2016 Democratic presidential candidate, was pushing a plan to widen the Medicare health insurance program for seniors, to include everyone. Most Republicans looked askance at the idea, which Sanders has long championed, while some leading Democrats like House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer said their priority was improving Obamacare. The Republican anti-Obamacare campaign was not entirely over. Two Republicans were planning to announce a new repeal-and-replace proposal on Wednesday that has White House support. Senators Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy will offer legislation to give states money in the form of block grants instead of the federal funding states get under Obamacare. Critics said the approach would effectively cut billions of dollars in funding for Obamacare subsidies and for the Medicaid program for the poor that many states expanded under Obamacare. The Cassidy-Graham bill must pass by the end of September to comply with Senate procedural rules allowing it to advance with a simple majority, rather than the 60 votes needed for most bills. “It would take an extraordinary lift to get that done before the deadline,” said Senator John Thune, a member of the Republican leadership. politicsNews
congress revisits obamacare time bipartisan twistwashington reuters the congress wrestling healthcare tuesday lawmakers parties considered approaches beyond simply repealing replacing obamacare the widened healthcare discussion appeared unlikely yield dramatic changes soon marked shift republican effort gut patient protection affordable care act obamacare formally known republicans last attempt july overturn former democratic president barack obama signature healthcare law fell one short senate humiliating defeat president donald trump senate majority leader mitch mcconnell in one senate committee bipartisan effort way tuesday repair obamacare without repealing led republican health committee chairman lamar alexander panel top democrat patty murray they want stabilize obamacare individual insurance market protecting those payments go insurers help reduce medical expenses americans enrolled obamacare trump made repealing replacing obamacare major campaign promise repeatedly threatened stop payments insurers say would force percent premium price increase alexander also wants states flexibility design health insurance plans obamacare said tuesday goal small bipartisan step could break partisan stalemate law the tennessee lawmaker said hoped bipartisan consensus proposal sometime next week although unclear mcconnell would bring measure floor he noncommittal asked tuesday some republicans supportive wisconsin senator ron johnson said government keep funding subsidies insurance premiums would likely rise government would spend money tax credits help consumers afford premiums the insurance companies get money either way johnson told reuters maine republican susan collins voted repealing replacing obamacare july said hoped support bipartisan obamacare repair effort based hearings far i would expect said the effort watched closely companies anthem inc trimmed number states counties sell obamacare plans the company said tuesday still working state regulators market participation next year anthem insurers deadline finalize obamacare roles separately independent senator bernie sanders democratic presidential candidate pushing plan widen medical health insurance program seniors include everyone most republicans looked advance idea sanders long championed leading democrats like house democratic whip stony hover said priority improving obamacare the republican campaign entirely two republicans planning announce new proposal wednesday white house support senators lindsay graham bill cassidy offer legislation give states money form block grants instead federal funding states get obamacare critics said approach would effectively cut billions dollars funding obamacare subsidies medical program poor many states expanded obamacare the bill must pass end september comply senate procedural rules allowing advance simple majority rather votes needed bills it would take extraordinary lift get done deadline said senator john thune member republican leadership politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Congress revisits Obamacare, this time with a bipartisan twistWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress was wrestling with healthcare again on Tuesday, as lawmakers from both parties considered some approaches beyond simply repealing and replacing Obamacare. The widened healthcare discussion appeared unlikely to yield dramatic changes soon, but marked a shift from the long-running, Republican effort to gut 2010’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as Obamacare is formally known. Republicans’ last attempt in July to overturn former Democratic President Barack Obama’s signature healthcare law fell one short in the Senate in a humiliating defeat for President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. In one Senate committee, a bipartisan effort was under way on Tuesday to repair Obamacare without repealing it, led by the Republican health committee chairman, Lamar Alexander, and the panel’s top Democrat, Patty Murray. They want to stabilize the Obamacare individual insurance market by protecting its “cost-sharing subsidies.” Those payments go to insurers to help reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses for low-income Americans enrolled in Obamacare. Trump, who made repealing and replacing Obamacare a major campaign promise, has repeatedly threatened to stop the payments, which insurers say would force a 20 percent premium price increase. Alexander, who also wants states to have more flexibility to design health insurance plans under Obamacare, said on Tuesday the goal was a “small bipartisan step” that could break the years-long partisan stalemate over the law. The Tennessee lawmaker said he hoped to have a bipartisan consensus proposal by sometime next week, although it was unclear if McConnell would bring such a measure to the floor. He was noncommittal when asked about it on Tuesday. Some Republicans were supportive. Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson said if the government did not keep funding the cost-sharing subsidies, insurance premiums would likely rise and the government would have to spend more money on tax credits that help consumers afford the premiums. “The insurance companies get their money either way,” Johnson told Reuters. Maine Republican Susan Collins, who voted against repealing and replacing Obamacare in July, said she hoped to support the bipartisan Obamacare repair effort. “Based on the hearings so far, (I) would expect to,” she said. The effort was being watched closely by companies such as Anthem Inc (ANTM.N), which has trimmed the number of states and counties in which it will sell Obamacare plans in 2018. The company said on Tuesday it was still working with some state regulators on its market participation for next year [L2N1LT17A]. Anthem and other insurers have a deadline of Sept. 27 to finalize their 2018 Obamacare roles. Separately, independent Senator Bernie Sanders, a 2016 Democratic presidential candidate, was pushing a plan to widen the Medicare health insurance program for seniors, to include everyone. Most Republicans looked askance at the idea, which Sanders has long championed, while some leading Democrats like House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer said their priority was improving Obamacare. The Republican anti-Obamacare campaign was not entirely over. Two Republicans were planning to announce a new repeal-and-replace proposal on Wednesday that has White House support. Senators Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy will offer legislation to give states money in the form of block grants instead of the federal funding states get under Obamacare. Critics said the approach would effectively cut billions of dollars in funding for Obamacare subsidies and for the Medicaid program for the poor that many states expanded under Obamacare. The Cassidy-Graham bill must pass by the end of September to comply with Senate procedural rules allowing it to advance with a simple majority, rather than the 60 votes needed for most bills. “It would take an extraordinary lift to get that done before the deadline,” said Senator John Thune, a member of the Republican leadership. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: congress revisits obamacare time bipartisan twistwashington reuters the congress wrestling healthcare tuesday lawmakers parties considered approaches beyond simply repealing replacing obamacare the widened healthcare discussion appeared unlikely yield dramatic changes soon marked shift republican effort gut patient protection affordable care act obamacare formally known republicans last attempt july overturn former democratic president barack obama signature healthcare law fell one short senate humiliating defeat president donald trump senate majority leader mitch mcconnell in one senate committee bipartisan effort way tuesday repair obamacare without repealing led republican health committee chairman lamar alexander panel top democrat patty murray they want stabilize obamacare individual insurance market protecting those payments go insurers help reduce medical expenses americans enrolled obamacare trump made repealing replacing obamacare major campaign promise repeatedly threatened stop payments insurers say would force percent premium price increase alexander also wants states flexibility design health insurance plans obamacare said tuesday goal small bipartisan step could break partisan stalemate law the tennessee lawmaker said hoped bipartisan consensus proposal sometime next week although unclear mcconnell would bring measure floor he noncommittal asked tuesday some republicans supportive wisconsin senator ron johnson said government keep funding subsidies insurance premiums would likely rise government would spend money tax credits help consumers afford premiums the insurance companies get money either way johnson told reuters maine republican susan collins voted repealing replacing obamacare july said hoped support bipartisan obamacare repair effort based hearings far i would expect said the effort watched closely companies anthem inc trimmed number states counties sell obamacare plans the company said tuesday still working state regulators market participation next year anthem insurers deadline finalize obamacare roles separately independent senator bernie sanders democratic presidential candidate pushing plan widen medical health insurance program seniors include everyone most republicans looked advance idea sanders long championed leading democrats like house democratic whip stony hover said priority improving obamacare the republican campaign entirely two republicans planning announce new proposal wednesday white house support senators lindsay graham bill cassidy offer legislation give states money form block grants instead federal funding states get obamacare critics said approach would effectively cut billions dollars funding obamacare subsidies medical program poor many states expanded obamacare the bill must pass end september comply senate procedural rules allowing advance simple majority rather votes needed bills it would take extraordinary lift get done deadline said senator john thune member republican leadership politicsnews