Broken health care pledge tests Collins-McConnell relationship [View all]

[nitpicker]

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/365922-broken-health-care-pledge-tests-collins-mcconnell-relationship

Broken health care pledge tests Collins-McConnell relationship

By Alexander Bolton - 12/21/17 06:00 AM EST

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) will be a crucial swing vote for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) next year, but it may be tougher to strike deals with her after McConnell failed to fulfill a pledge on health care.

The moderate senator told reporters this month that she had an “ironclad” commitment from McConnell and Vice President Pence to pass legislation by the end of the year to stabilize ObamaCare premiums. She wanted that assurance before committing her vote for tax reform. ut that vote has now been delayed until January due to opposition from House Republicans.

Collins isn’t accusing McConnell of breaking his pledge but is disappointed in the outcome, according to sources familiar with the negotiations on health care legislation. Those sources added that Collins might think twice the next time GOP leaders promise her something. “She’s disappointed, but she doesn’t see this as a breach of the agreement, she sees it as slipping,” said a Senate GOP aide. “These bills remain very important to her and she’s committed to getting them done.
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Collins earlier this month announced that McConnell had promised to pass two bills by year’s end: one authorizing federal subsidies to insurance companies and another funding high-risk pools for older, sicker people.

She said the leader also promised that fellow Republicans would vote to waive an automatic $25 billion cut to Medicare required by “Pay-As-You-Go” rules. The cut could have been triggered as a result of passing the tax bill with only 51 votes under special budgetary rules. President Trump is reportedly waiting until Jan. 3 to sign the bill to prevent the Medicare cuts from taking effect, according to Bloomberg.
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