Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Monday 29 January 2018

Democrats eager to make health care a key campaign topic

attack, and the issue is ported more than 1.2 mil-
coming up in congressional lion renewals for 2018 and
races in California, Colora- an additional 342,000 new
do, Michigan, Washington customers. Its 2018 enroll-
and elsewhere. A Kaiser ment period doesn't end
Family Foundation poll re- until Wednesday, as does
leased Friday found health New York's.
care as the top issue voters Democrats say the level of
want congressional candi- consumer interest presents
dates to address. a political opportunity.
Enrollment was especially "We're definitely making it
robust in many of the states an issue," said Jason Crow,
that operate their own in- a Democrat who is chal-
surance marketplaces, lenging five-term Repub-
where enrollment periods lican Congressman Mike
were longer than on the Coffman in a suburban
federal exchange and Denver district.
promotional budgets were Crow has criticized Coff-
beefed up. Strong sign- man's vote for the GOP tax
ups came despite Repub- bill, which eliminated the
lican attacks against the tax penalty for people who
law and President Donald don't get health insurance.
Trump's administration tak- That move is expected to
In this Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2018, photograph, Jeanine Limone Draut is shown at her home in Denver. ing several steps to under- undermine the individual
Simone Draut, a freelance tech writer who is a native of Bath, Maine, is one of the voters who will mine it, including cutting insurance market starting
be assessing political candidates in this fall's election by one measure: their stand on health care. the federal sign-up period next year.
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski) in half and slashing adver- More than 22,000 people
tising. enrolled last year for cover-
By JAMES ANDERSON to repeal former President independent, said of the California, Colorado, Con- age on the state exchange
Associated Press Barack Obama's Afford- on-again, off-again repeal necticut, Idaho, Maryland, in Coffman's district, which
DENVER (AP) — Republi- able Care Act exposed talk from Republicans. "I New York, Vermont and went for Hillary Clinton in
cans on the campaign trail not only deep divisions don't know if either party other states with their own 2016.
this year will be eager to within the party but also re- has a solution. My vote is exchanges saw enrollment "People in our district rec-
tout the potential benefits vealed core benefits of the pretty closely tied to my approach or surpass 2017 ognize the progress we've
of their tax cut plan. law that millions of Ameri- livelihood." levels. Minnesota's health made under health care.
Voters like Jeanine Limone cans now take for granted. Both parties are paying at- insurance exchange set The fact that 20 million
Draut, a freelance techni- Draut is tired of the attacks tention, especially after a a record for private plans more people have health
cal writer in Denver, have and the uncertainty sur- better-than-expected en- with an enrollment period care matters — it matters a
something else in mind: rounding the law's future. rollment season under the that was more than two lot," Crow said. "And under
health care. "As a small business owner, health care law. Demo- weeks shorter than in 2017. Trump, we are now moving
Failed efforts by congres- it just wreaks havoc on how crats especially have used California's state exchange, in the opposite direction."
sional Republicans last year you do business," Draut, an health care to go on the the nation's largest, has re- q
Sen. Marco Rubio fires chief of staff for "improper conduct"

WASHINGTON (AP) — Flor- conduct by my Chief of withhold employment ben- website dated December media as Rubio's chief of
ida Sen. Marco Rubio an- Staff while under the em- efits," Rubio said in a state- 2016 said identified Clint staff, did not return a call
nounced that he fired his ployment of my office," Ru- ment. Rubio's office said it Reed as Rubio's newly ap- or a Facebook message for
chief of staff after getting bio wrote. will not be disclosing further pointed chief of staff. "For comment. Reed managed
reports of "improper con- He added that he had "suf- details. over a year, I've gotten to Rubio's 2016 re-election
duct" with subordinate ficient evidence to con- The Florida Republican said know and work closely with campaign to the U.S. Sen-
staffers. clude that while employed his office will notify appro- Clint on my campaigns, in- ate as well as Rubio's presi-
The statement from Rubio's by this office, my Chief of priate congressional and cluding two in Florida. He's dential primary campaigns
office was released Satur- Staff had violated office Senate administrative of- a superb manager who in Florida and elsewhere.
day evening. His office did policies regarding proper fices of the matter on Mon- loves Florida, has earned Reed also served as re-
not respond to requests for relations between a super- day. my trust, and relishes the gional political director for
details on Sunday. visor and their subordinates. The announcement made challenge of solving tough the Republican National
The statement said Rubio I further concluded that no mention of the chief problems," Rubio wrote at Committee and executive
had been made aware this led to actions which of staff's name. However, the time. Reed, who de- director of the Republican
of "allegations of improper ... amounted to threats to a press release on Rubio's scribes himself on social Party of Arkansas. q