Unnamed Democratic senators meeting with Republicans to discuss health care.
About a dozen senators from both parties met Monday evening to discuss the opportunity for a bipartisan approach to health care policy. The meeting was spearheaded by Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Susan Collins (R-ME), who have worked on an Obamacare replacement bill together.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) was spotted heading into the meeting, and Collins estimated that another two or three other Democrats were present, though she would not reveal their identities. Among the Republicans seen heading out of the meeting were Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK).
“I don’t know yet whether there is [a bipartisan path forward on health care],” Collins, who was joined by Cassidy, told reporters after the meeting. “But it would be useful to invite some people to sit and talk about ideas and talk about whether it would be possible to come up with a bipartisan bill.”
Collins said that there were about 10 or 11 total senators in the meeting, and handful more who had been invited and were interested in going, but who were unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts.
Not much was said by members after the meeting about the policy details of what sort of bipartisan deal could be hatched on health care policy. Cassidy said his bill was discussed but that no one had necessarily had signed on and other options were worthy of consideration.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/cassidy-collins-democrats-republicans-health-care
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