The Republican Senate Health Committee chairman is now downplaying the chance of crafting a bipartisan deal to stabilize the health insurance markets, a nod to the chamber’s shift back toward partisan health care policies.

“I know how to get bipartisan results,” Sen. Lamar Alexander Andrew (Lamar) Lamar AlexanderToobin: McConnell engaging in 'greatest act of hypocrisy in American political history' with Ginsburg replacement vote Chamber of Commerce endorses McSally for reelection Trump health officials grilled over reports of politics in COVID-19 response MORE (R-Tenn.) said. But “I'm not a magician, and it requires my persuading [Senate Majority Leader Mitch] McConnell [R-Ky.], Speaker [Paul] Ryan [R-Wis.], the president, that we're right about it.”

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Last week, Alexander believed a bipartisan deal was possible as the panel finished the last of four bipartisan hearings to stabilize the insurance marketplaces. His hope was that one would be crafted by early this week, enabling the Senate to pass a bill by the end of the month.

But Alexander pointed to both the new GOP effort to repeal ObamaCare, and Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersNYT editorial board remembers Ginsburg: She 'will forever have two legacies' Two GOP governors urge Republicans to hold off on Supreme Court nominee Sanders knocks McConnell: He's going against Ginsburg's 'dying wishes' MORE’s (I-Vt.) single-payer push, as sucking the oxygen away from bipartisan efforts to stabilize the Affordable Care Act.

“But since, Sen. Sanders and 15 Democrats renewed their push for ‘Medicare for all,’ Republicans began a new effort at repeal and replace. It obviously makes achieving a bipartisan consensus more difficult,” Alexander said.

Democrats say that they are still pushing for a bipartisan deal. Keeping the talks alive could be a way to give Sens. Lisa Murkowski Lisa Ann MurkowskiMomentum growing among Republicans for Supreme Court vote before Election Day Collins: President elected Nov. 3 should fill Supreme Court vacancy Barrett seen as a front-runner for Trump Supreme Court pick MORE (R-Alaska) and John McCain John Sidney McCainMomentum growing among Republicans for Supreme Court vote before Election Day McConnell urges GOP senators to 'keep your powder dry' on Supreme Court vacancy McSally says current Senate should vote on Trump nominee MORE (R-Ariz.) an alternative health care proposal to point to outside of the GOP-only effort.

Democrats say they have made concessions to the GOP and continue to talk, but that the obstacle now is about politics and not policy.

A Senate Democratic aide said Democrats had made concessions to Alexander in the talks, agreeing to “substantial state flexibility” on making changes to ObamaCare regulations, something that Alexander has pushed for.

The aide said Democrats had agreed to changes to the substance of what states can waive, a further step than just speeding up the process for a state to get a waiver.

During the hearings, the outline for a potential agreement emerged. It seemed likely a deal could fund payments to insurers compensating them for lowering the out-of-pocket costs of certain ObamaCare enrollees.

It also appeared that states could get more flexibility in pricing and plan approval, and that anyone — not just those under 30 — would be able to purchase catastrophic health plans.