• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living

2

Egg companies made $1.22 billion in profit off a $6 carton — now they’re buying their way out of a price-fixing case with 53 million donated eggs

3

Meet the Zillennials: The luckiest micro-generation in the workforce, born between 1993 and 1998

1

Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living

2

Egg companies made $1.22 billion in profit off a $6 carton — now they’re buying their way out of a price-fixing case with 53 million donated eggs

3

Meet the Zillennials: The luckiest micro-generation in the workforce, born between 1993 and 1998
Health

A Growing Number of GOP Lawmakers Sound Ready to Defy Trump on Obamacare

By
Sy Mukherjee
Sy Mukherjee
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Sy Mukherjee
Sy Mukherjee
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 1, 2017, 5:47 PM ET
SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

The Senate GOP faced a stunning setback last week when a trio of Republican Senators bucked Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and party leadership to kill a “skinny repeal” of Obamacare. It was the third GOP health care bill to fail in nearly as many days and left many wondering: What’s next for health reform?

President Donald Trump promptly made his position known, threatening to discontinue certain Obamacare payments to insurance companies that help reduce medical costs for low-income Americans. Trump equated these to an insurer “bailout” (and apparently questioned the future of health care provided to members of Congress.)

If a new HealthCare Bill is not approved quickly, BAILOUTS for Insurance Companies and BAILOUTS for Members of Congress will end very soon!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 29, 2017

But a growing number of Republicans appear eager to challenge Trump’s Obamacare position following last week’s defeats. In fact, several prominent GOP members are urging the Trump administration to keep making the insurer payments and are launching bipartisan efforts to shore up the health law’s marketplaces with the help of Democrats.

Click here to subscribe to Brainstorm Health Daily, our brand new newsletter about health innovations.

For some background: The insurer payments that Trump describes as “bailouts” are actually way to keep insurers in the marketplaces and prevent premium hikes. Obamacare contained cost-reduction provisions to lower the deductibles and out-of-pocket costs paid by certain Americans making up to 1.5 times the federal poverty level (FPL)—specifically, those who buy a mid-level “Silver” plan. For some families, these so-called cost-sharing reductions can bring deductibles all the way down to zero.

The thing is, insurance companies are required to provide this financial assistance to qualifying poor families under the law. And that means that they’d still be on the hook even if the federal cost-sharing subsidies that fund the Obamacare provision are cut off, likely forcing firms out of an unaffordable market or catalyzing high premium spikes. Multiple insurance companies have cited the Trump administration’s threats on cost-sharing subsidies as a prominent reason for fleeing Obamacare’s markets next year and asserted that planned premium spikes for next year would be lower if these payments are made.

But a parade of prominent Republican Senators including Louisiana’s Bill Cassidy, Maine’s Susan Collins, Utah’s Orrin Hatch, South Dakota’s John Thune, and, perhaps most significantly, Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee chair Lamar Alexander, have all come out in the past two days to urge Trump to pay the insurer subsidies at least on a short-term basis, arguing that American families would bear the consequences without the payments.

Trump may reportedly play hard ball on the issue and force Senators to take another health care vote in exchange for remitting the subsidies. But it’s unclear that there’s much of an appetite on Capitol Hill to keep focusing on health care when a purely GOP-led victory is far from assured. And Congress could theoretically take the decision on whether or not to make the payments out of Trump’s hands.

In fact, Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn of Texas admitted that the path to health reform going forward will require a bipartisan bill on Tuesday, and HELP committee chair Alexander announced committee hearings to discuss problems facing Obamacare’s individual insurance marketplaces at the beginning of September.

About the Author
By Sy Mukherjee
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Health

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Health

He used to work 90-hour weeks and lost ‘years’ of his life. Now the US Polo Assn. CEO clocks off at 5:30 p.m. and won’t text his team on weekends 
SuccessDay in the Life of a CEO
He used to work 90-hour weeks and lost ‘years’ of his life. Now the US Polo Assn. CEO clocks off at 5:30 p.m. and won’t text his team on weekends 
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJuly 5, 2026
2 hours ago
Photo: Paris, france
Environmentclimate change
Brutal heatwave in France is killing 2,000 people per week, undertakers are overwhelmed, and health agency says there’s worse to come
By John Leicester and The Associated PressJuly 3, 2026
2 days ago
Opti-Greens 50 Review (2026): Insights from Hands-On Testing
HealthDietary Supplements
Opti-Greens 50 Review (2026): Insights from Hands-On Testing
By Christina SnyderJuly 2, 2026
3 days ago
A man shaves wood pieces from a block.
EconomyRetirement
Economists have found an answer to slowing cognitive decline: Avoid retiring early, study finds
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 2, 2026
3 days ago
The Best Compact Ellipticals of 2026: Tested by Fitness Fanatics
HealthDietary Supplements
The Best Compact Ellipticals of 2026: Tested by Fitness Fanatics
By Emily PharesJuly 2, 2026
3 days ago
The 6 Best Exercise Bikes of 2026: Fitness Expert Reviewed
HealthDietary Supplements
The 6 Best Exercise Bikes of 2026: Fitness Expert Reviewed
By Christina SnyderJuly 1, 2026
4 days ago

Most Popular

Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living
Success
Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living
By Preston ForeJuly 4, 2026
1 day ago
Egg companies made $1.22 billion in profit off a $6 carton — now they’re buying their way out of a price-fixing case with 53 million donated eggs
Law
Egg companies made $1.22 billion in profit off a $6 carton — now they’re buying their way out of a price-fixing case with 53 million donated eggs
By Wyatte Grantham-Philips and The Associated PressJuly 2, 2026
3 days ago
Meet the Zillennials: The luckiest micro-generation in the workforce, born between 1993 and 1998
AI
Meet the Zillennials: The luckiest micro-generation in the workforce, born between 1993 and 1998
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 3, 2026
2 days ago
$25 billion CEO says one-hour interviews are a waste of time—he puts candidates through six hours of tests and wants them to order wine at lunch
Success
$25 billion CEO says one-hour interviews are a waste of time—he puts candidates through six hours of tests and wants them to order wine at lunch
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJuly 3, 2026
2 days ago
Economists have found an answer to slowing cognitive decline: Avoid retiring early, study finds
Economy
Economists have found an answer to slowing cognitive decline: Avoid retiring early, study finds
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 2, 2026
3 days ago
Three dads started selling hats from a garage with $750—now they’ve sold $35 million worth, partnered with Gary Vee, and grown a community of fathers
Success
Three dads started selling hats from a garage with $750—now they’ve sold $35 million worth, partnered with Gary Vee, and grown a community of fathers
By Preston ForeJuly 4, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.