Obamacare Repeal Fails; Next Step for Health Care
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Turning to Democrat to offer their own ideas after the Republican's last ditch effort to repeal Obamacare failed. Let's discuss the way forward with Democratic Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland. He's a member of the Senate Finance Health Sub -- Finance Health Care Subcommittee. So, good to have you, senator. Thanks for being on the show. You're the one who stayed up last. I'm the one who can't speak.</s>SEN. BEN CARDIN (D), MARYLAND: Chris, it's good to be with you. Last night was pretty -- a dramatic moment. We were able to stop this train going in the wrong direction. Now it's time for us to work together to improve the Affordable Care Act.</s>CUOMO: All right, so, state of play. You know, I test Democrats on a regular basis, what are your ideas, why aren't you trying to get in there, and I understand the counters, that you're not in the majority, you don't have the numbers and you don't believe in repealing the ACA, so why would anybody vote for that. OK. But now you know where we are. And you did have Mitch McConnell do something that in this environment that's unusual, which is to say, let's look to the other side. John McCain exhorting all senators to remember that that's the spirit of the Senate is working together. So, what are the opportunities to do that, to create better health care for Americans, because, as we know, the ACA is far from perfect?</s>CARDIN: Well, neither party can do this on its own. We need everybody working together. So I'm encouraging the -- Senator Alexander, the chairman of the Health Committee, to convene hearings. We have proposals, Republicans have proposals that could bring down the overall cost of health care, stabilize the insurance marketplace, bring down the health insurance premiums. I could give you specific examples. I filed legislation dealing with some of the cost issues, dealing with prescription medicines to make it more affordable, dealing with more coordinated, integrated care models, so you're dealing with the patient rather than specific</s>CUOMO: Right. That's where we need to go, senator, because I think it is time for specifics because one of the political dynamics here that needs to be satisfied is a quick win. All right, that's where the president's head is. Right or wrong, that's what you're dealing with. That's the leadership. So, what do you think could get done in short order? Because when you say the word "hearings," you know, that means that I'm going to lose hairline between when they start and when anything actually gets done. So, what do you think can get done soon?</s>CARDIN: Well, the Senate's in session. We could have a hearing next week. Believe me, we could put hearings together quickly. But there is a reason for hearings. We believe public input is important. We also believe when you come up with a proposal, you should let it be aired. You should let people have an opportunity to understand it. Recognize that the last bill we voted on was shown to us two hours before we voted on it.</s>CUOMO: Right.</s>CARDIN: So let's have a more transparent process. There are proposals out there. I have filed legislation four or five weeks ago that include five or six specific proposals that could help stabilize the insurance marketplace. These are not novel ideas. They've been around. Republicans are supporting these. We want to make sure that insurance companies know the stability of the marketplace so more have confidence to enter the marketplace. We could also make it more stable by having a public option available if there's not competition in a community. So there are things we could do working with Republicans quickly. I agree with you, I would like to get it done this year. I would like to get things moving.</s>CUOMO: What do you make of the president's challenge to allow the ACA to implode? First, do you believe that that's a fair reckoning of the disposition of the health care system, that it is in a death spiral? And, two, the notion that the president would, although he raised his hand and said I'll faithfully execute the laws of the United States, he would allow this law to fail?</s>CARDIN: Chris, you're saying it exactly correct. The Affordable Care Act, no, it's not imploding. The Affordable Care Act has provided incredible health to millions of Americans who didn't have access to affordable health care before. It has improved dramatically in quality insurance available, reined in the abusive practices of insurance companies. What the president is doing is unconscionable. He should be carrying out the laws of this country in a way to make them most effectively work. Instead what he is doing, he is trying to say, look, I'm not sure whether I'm going to do what the law tells me to do on these payments to the insurance companies to stabilize the co-pays and deductibles, which causes insurance companies to say, maybe I shouldn't stay in the marketplace. I'm not going to enforce the mandate, the president says, so therefore healthy, younger people don't feel like they have to buy insurance because they don't know if there will be a penalty if they don't. That means the risk pools are greater. The insurance premiums are higher. The president is doing things that is making the market much more difficult, and that's just wrong.</s>CUOMO: So, what about the fundamental issue of the individual marketplaces largely in states that didn't expand Medicaid that are under water. They're too small. They have one choice. You know, sometimes that's it in a lot of these markets. Huge deductibles and premiums rising at ridiculous rates. What's the first thing that can be done to stop that bleeding?</s>CARDIN: Well, two things. First, have a public option. Have a government plan that's available if there's not competition in that marketplace. So you know you have guaranteed coverage. Secondly, enforce the mandates so that the younger, healthier people come into the market place so you have more people in the insured market place, that premiums go down, so that everybody is in the system. There are two things you could do. And then, lastly, make sure the insurance companies know that they're going to get the payments that were included in the Affordable Care Act so they can have lower copays and deductibles. That's what you could do immediately that would help stabilize the marketplace.</s>CUOMO: Well, up until this point it has been the Republican show. They are in the majority. They were working to satisfy a campaign promise. That phase seems to be over. Maybe there will be some dickering on block grants that the Republicans will try to move along the reconciliation process themselves. But now is the time to see who wants to step up on the bipartisan side. We will be watching. Thank you for being on the show to make the case.</s>CARDIN: Thank you, Chris.</s>CUOMO: All right, senator. Alisyn.</s>ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Chris, infighting appears to be consuming the West Wing. Anthony Scaramucci taking on Reince Priebus and Steve Bannon. Is President Trump's White House out of control? We have a debate you don't want to miss, next.