Jul 18, 2017

House budget resolution still assumes repeal

David Nather

Jacquelyn Martin / AP

In the "don't call it dead yet" category … the House is releasing its fiscal 2018 budget resolution this morning, and it assumes that all of the policies in the House-passed Affordable Care Act repeal bill, the American Health Care Act, will become law.

And that's not all. It also revives the GOP proposals for Medicare premium support — the overhaul House Speaker Paul Ryan has been championing for years, but also the one President Trump has said he doesn't want to do.

The savings:

  • Medicare premium support: $487 billion/10 years
  • Medicaid and other health programs: $1.5 trillion/10 years

Reality check: It may not sound realistic, but everything about the budget is a negotiation — and House Republicans are loading up their budget with as many conservative priorities as they possibly can. It also calls for Medicaid work requirements, additional state flexibility beyond the House bill's Medicaid changes, and medical liability reform.

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Axios

South Korea and Italy step up measures as coronavirus cases spike

Data: The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins, the CDC, and China's Health Ministry. Note: China numbers are for the mainland only and U.S. numbers include repatriated citizens.

The novel coronavirus has spread to more nations as South Korea and Italy in particular scramble to deal with spikes in their countries.

The big picture: COVID-19 has killed at least 2,446 people and infected almost 79,000 others, mostly in mainland China. South Korean President Moon Jae-said country would increase its infectious disease alert to red, the highest level possible, the New York Times reports, as the number of cases in the country soared to 556 and the death toll to five. Italy's government announced emergency measures Sunday after infections rose to 79.

Go deeperArrowUpdated 4 mins ago - Health
Axios

Bernie Sanders wins Nevada caucus

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders waves to supporters at a campaign rally on Friday in Las Vegas. Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images

Sen. Bernie Sanders is projected to handily win the Nevada Democratic primary caucus, becoming the clear frontrunner among 2020 Democratic presidential primary election candidates.

Why it matters: Nevada is the first state with a diverse population to hold a nominating contest, highlighting candidates' abilities to connect with voters of color — particularly Latino voters.

Go deeperArrowUpdated 30 mins ago - Politics & Policy
Rebecca Falconer

Heat wave melts 20% of snow cover from Antarctic island in days

The effects of February's record heat wave on Eagle Island in Antarctica. Photo: NASA

Antarctica's Eagle Island now has a side that's almost ice-free following this month's searing heat wave in the region, images released by NASA show.

Why it maters: "The warm spell caused widespread melting on nearby glaciers," NASA said in its report. It's the third major melt event of the 2019-2020 Southern Hemisphere summer, following warm spells in January and last November, according to the United Nation's World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

Go deeperArrow3 hours ago - Energy & Environment