The new GOP health-care bill is heavy on benefits for Alaska — the home of a hesitant senator

(Image credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

published 13 July 2017

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R), who has spent weeks wobbling over the GOP health-care bill, appeared potentially won-over by Thursday's revised draft — which now gives hundreds of millions of federal dollars to her state, Bloomberg Politics reports. "It's no secret that health care needs to be reformed, but it needs to be done right," Murkowski said last month. "So know that I remain committed to ensuring that all Alaskans have access to affordable, quality health care and will vet this bill through that lens."

On Thursday, Murkowski told reporters she will need to read through the bill before making a decision. Three other Republicans have already confirmed they will not be voting in favor of the legislation.

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[Alaska] would get a larger share of money for health insurers meant to stabilize markets where people buy coverage. Under the formula, any state with insurance premiums 75 percent higher than the national average would qualify to get 1 percent of the $132 billion from a long-term insurance stability fund. Alaska appears to be the only state that qualifies, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. [Bloomberg Politics]

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.

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