Sens. Lamar Alexander and Patty Murray have reached a deal “in principle” to restore Obamacare cost-sharing reduction payments for two years in exchange for more state flexibility in Obamacare, according to two Senate aides.
One Senate aide said the plan would also restore just over $100 million in funding for Obamacare outreach.
An Alexander aide told CNN that Republicans would get a major change in the affordability guardrail, that would allow states a lot more flexibility, but that final language was still being ironed out.
Alexander, a Republican from Tennessee, and Murray, a Democrat from Washington , have worked for weeks on the plan, but their work became even more urgent last Thursday after President Donald Trump announced abruptly that he would cease making CSR payments. Now, however, the real work begins in convincing members of their respective parties to back any deal they have reached together.
Democrats were briefed on the deal during lunch Tuesday.