Jeff Stein
There was a report today that McConnell reached out to Trump and said, "If we don't get the votes, we'll have to negotiate with Senate Democrats." What main policy fixes -- either to the exchanges or to health care more broadly -- should be the Democrats' top demands?
Senator Ed Markey (D-MA)
You can't package $800 billion in Medicaid cuts and package it as a tax break --
Jeff Stein
But assuming we're in the world where this bill is killed completely ... what is your first policy proposal for health care?
Ed Markey
My first proposal would be to keep the funding levels where they are for Medicaid and begin to work on ensuring that together we are trying to lower the premiums while increasing access to health care. That's not what this discussion has been about.
Jeff Stein
How do you do that? How do you lower premiums while increasing access to health care?
Ed Markey
Well, we have to increase the number of healthy, younger people who are inside the health care system, and that will lower costs for everybody.
Jeff Stein
How do you do that? A tougher individual mandate?
Ed Markey
We would need an individual mandate to ensure that younger, healthier people are getting into the pool, and in doing that we would end up with lower costs.
Jeff Stein
So for you personally, the big thing you'd do is get more young people signed up for a tougher mandate?
Ed Markey
That's right.
Jeff Stein
Is there anything else?
Ed Markey
Well, and keeping the funding level there.
Jeff Stein
So I'm talking about a hypothetical world in which the bill is defeated. Is there anything else policy-wise to improve the American health care system? For instance, Sen. Warner talked to me about reviving the "copper plans" on the exchanges.
Ed Markey
First, the principle thing is, we have to keep all the funding, and if they don't agree on that, the whole thing is operating on a flawed premise.
I don't understand [about the copper plans. Aide interjects: "He's got to run."]
