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Ohio's GOP Sen. Portman Doesn't Support the Healthcare Compromise; Democrat Brown Does

photo of Sen. Rob Portman and Sen. Sherrod Brown
STATEHOUSE NEWS BUREAU

Ohio’s two senators agree premiums will go up if a bipartisan compromise on the Affordable Care Act doesn’t get through Congress.  Other than that, though, they don’t agree on much, including whether the compromise should get through Congress. 

The Murray-Alexander plan would extend for two years the federal subsidies that act as a kind of rebate to insurance companies to cover deductibles and copayments for lower-income people. President Trump has suspended the subsidies, and without them, everyone who buys insurance on the individual exchanges will likely pay more.

GOP Sen. Rob Portman says the Murray Alexander bill doesn’t do enough.

“I was not opposed to the administration continuing the payments. But if we’re going to legislate on it, it should be something that makes a difference in a significant way.”

Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown says the compromise is an important step.

“It stabilizes the insurance markets, it brings in more young healthy people into the insurance pools. We need to go further to keep prices down by going after drug companies that over-charge and fleece the public.” 

The compromise also would give states more flexibility under the Affordable Care Act and allow more people to buy low-cost plans. 

Here's an NPR story on the details of the bill.

M.L. Schultze is a freelance journalist. She spent 25 years at The Repository in Canton where she was managing editor for nearly a decade, then served as WKSU's news director and digital editor until her retirement.