Jan 6, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Georgia results shake up Democrats' potential health agenda

Caitlin Owens

Picture of Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff looking at each other while wearing masks. — Photo: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

If both Democrats ultimately pull off wins in Georgia's Senate races, they'll secure a narrow Democratic majority and increase the odds that significant health care legislation could become law.

Driving the news: Democrat Raphael Warnock defeated Republican Kelly Loeffler for one of the Senate seats, AP called early this morning. A winner has not yet been declared in the race between Democrat Jon Ossoff and Republican David Perdue.

What they're saying: The Kaiser Family Foundation's Larry Levitt yesterday tweeted a list of health policies that Democrats may enact with a Senate majority:

Nullifying the pending GOP lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act
Making ACA premiums more affordable
Incentivizing states to expand Medicaid
Allowing the government to negotiate drug prices
Eliminating cost-sharing for coronavirus treatment

The other side: If Republicans end up holding one of the Georgia Senate seats, there's still the possibility of bipartisan compromise. But that is an entirely different — and much narrower — policy universe.

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Georgia results shake up Democrats' potential health agenda

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