Medical groups worried about closed-door talks on Obamacare repeal

Health industry groups have been encouraged that their input is being sought in the Senate bill to repeal and replace Obamacare, but some say that they are unhappy about ongoing closed-door meetings and a lack of details about how lawmakers will make changes to the healthcare system.

In May, various groups expressed exasperation when the House passed a repeal bill, the American Health Care Act, that they said largely left them out of the conversation. The bill also faced public disapproval and was passed without a final score from the Congressional Budget Office, which makes projections about uninsured rates and the cost to the federal government.

Stakes are high for members of the healthcare industry, which have come to rely on federal Obamacare payments and could suffer under a rocky transition to a new healthcare model. They also worry about disrupting patient care.

"I think the general sense is that the Senate has been much more open to input than the House was," an industry source said.Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, sent a letter to a broad array of industry groups and officials in mid-May requesting input on a repeal-and-replace bill. He cited examples for groups to provide their recommendations, including on Medicaid, tax credits and stabilizing the Obamacare exchanges."Moving forward, I believe it is vital to have input from key stakeholders that represent the interests of patients, providers, employers and thought leaders," Hatch wrote. "Toward that end, I intend to establish an open and orderly process for the submission of information and recommendations."