Top Republican seeks action now to steady insurance markets

WASHINGTON (AP) — A senior House Republican on Thursday called for immediate action to stabilize shaky health insurance markets around the country, amid concerns that the GOP could get blamed for rising premiums and dwindling choice next year.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady, R-Texas, said the government should keep paying billions of dollars in "cost-sharing" subsidies that help low-income people with deductibles and copayments.

President Donald Trump asserts that the Affordable Care Act is collapsing, and he's repeatedly threatened to halt subsidy payments to force Democrats to negotiate on health care legislation.

Testifying on Capitol Hill about the budget, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price tried to reassure lawmakers that the administration will not make any sudden moves.

The Obama health care law provides two kinds of government subsidies to help people with modest incomes purchase private insurance.

House Republicans sued the Obama administration over the payments, claiming that the ACA as written lacked explicit congressional authorization.