Senator Bill Cassidy urges collaboration between Democrats and his party after Senate rejected dual healthcare bills<\/p>\n\n\n\n
US senator Bill Cassidy said on Sunday that \u201cthere\u2019s a deal to be had\u201d on tackling the rising cost of healthcare, suggesting he remained optimistic over bipartisan cooperation on the issue despite the recent failure of two competing proposals in the Senate<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Speaking on CBS\u2019s Face the Nation<\/a>, the Louisiana Republican and chair of the Senate healthcare committee encouraged collaboration, saying \u201cthere has to be a meeting of the minds between Democrats\u201d and members of his party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Senate on Thursday rejected both<\/a> Democratic and Republican efforts to curb healthcare costs, underscoring the ongoing divide over what to do about soon-to-expire tax credits that help millions of Americans buy insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Democrats pushed for a three-year renewal of the enhanced tax credits. Meanwhile, the measure introduced by Cassidy \u2013 a physician \u2013 and his Republican colleague Mike Crapo is built around government payments of $1,000 into the health spending accounts of people enrolled in bronze or catastrophic exchange plans, which typically have high deductibles. People from the ages of 50 to 64 would get another $500, and there would be limits for all who received the funds on using the money to pay for abortions or gender-affirming care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cassidy\u2019s plan received no Democratic backing. He argued, however, that Democrats must also consider the burden of high deductibles in their approach, stating: \u201cYou\u2019ve got to put cash in the patient\u2019s pocket to pay the out of pocket.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He continued: \u201cI would be willing to do a short-term extension of the premium tax credit for those people with higher premiums if they will concede that we\u2019ve got to do something\u201d for $6,000 out of pocket deductibles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think there\u2019s a deal to be had here,\u201d Cassidy added. \u201cWe need to push for that deal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cassidy said he was actively working to find a compromise that could appeal to both sides of the aisle. \u201cLet\u2019s address our concerns,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd then this Republican would be willing to do something on a short-term extension of the premium tax credits if that\u2019s what it takes to get the deal to help those folks with the more expensive premium \u2013 but also helping everybody with their deductible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n His remarks come as senators express hope that some form of agreement could emerge after Thursday\u2019s unsuccessful efforts. Several Republicans<\/a> have signaled openness to continuing the enhanced tax credits temporarily, with certain restrictions, noting that roughly 22 million Americans could lose assistance when the credits lapse at the end of the month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe can get this done,\u201d Cassidy said. \u201cAnd I think we can meet the concerns, both about the out of pocket, but also about the premium.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n