{"id":2555923,"date":"2026-01-28T18:26:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T23:26:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bernie-moreno-floats-hyde-amendment-audit\/"},"modified":"2026-01-28T18:29:25","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T23:29:25","slug":"bernie-moreno-floats-hyde-amendment-audit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bernie-moreno-floats-hyde-amendment-audit\/","title":{"rendered":"Bernie Moreno floats Hyde Amendment \u2018audit\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">12<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbernie-moreno-floats-hyde-amendment-audit%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2555923&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) is proposing an audit too determine whether insurance companies are using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/study-taxpayer-funded-abortion-seekers-are-often-repeat-customers\/\" title=\"Study: Taxpaye...Funded ... Seekers Are Often Repeat Customers\">federal tax dollars<\/a> to fund abortions, seeking to enforce compliance with the Hyde amendment as part of a compromise to revive enhanced Obamacare subsidies. The audit language, which would create a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/father-of-first-missing-girl-on-the-internet-slams-newsom-for-halting-death-penalty\/\" title=\"Father of first missing girl on the internet criticizes Newsom for stopping death penalty.\">penalty system<\/a> for noncompliant insurers, was included in bill text Moreno shared with an Obamacare working group as negotiators try to resolve abortion-related disputes that have stalled talks. The broader bipartisan framework would also curb \u201cghost enrollees\u201d by requiring a minimum $5 premium, limit eligibility to taxpayers earning under 700% of the federal poverty level, and extend enrollment through the end of March. Democrats generally prefer a \u201cclean\u201d extension and have resisted tightening Hyde, though some centrists are open to reforms like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-push-for-student-debt-forgiveness-would-cost-taxpayers-millions\/\" title=\"... push for student debt forgiveness, would cost taxpayers millions\">income limits<\/a> and fraud measures. Some Republicans remain skeptical \u2014 Sen. james Lankford noted the Government Accountability Office has already reviewed Hyde compliance \u2014 and Moreno says he won\u2019t push a proposal that can\u2019t secure support from at least half his conference. With momentum fading and time running out, negotiators acknowledge the window for a deal is closing.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Bernie Moreno floats Hyde Amendment &lsquo;audit&rsquo; in Obamacare subsidy talks<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2487213\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/bernie-moreno\/\">Bernie Moreno<\/a> (R-OH) is proposing an audit of whether insurance companies are using federal tax dollars to fund abortions, a legislative compromise meant to jump-start negotiations over enhanced <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/affordable-care-act\/\">Obamacare<\/a> subsidies.<\/p>\n<p>The proposal, which would vet the companies&rsquo; compliance with the&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/hyde-amendment\/page\/2\/?00000161-8274-d87d-a3f9-eaf5ae090000-page=2\">Hyde Amendment<\/a>, was tucked into bill text that Moreno shared with the rest of an Obamacare working group on Wednesday and would include a &ldquo;penalty system&rdquo; for insurers who run afoul of the law.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/4436017\/house-gop-investigates-organs-given-rich-foreigners\/\">House GOP investigates organs given to rich foreigners: &#8216;Transplant tourism&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/4435898\/south-carolina-measles-outbreak-cases\/\">South Carolina measles outbreak surpasses Texas disease surge with nearly 800 cases<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/4435120\/health-insurance-stocks-tank-trump-proposal-flat-medicare-advantage-reimbursements\/\">Health insurance stocks tank on Trump proposal for flat Medicare Advantage reimbursements<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>For weeks, negotiators have agreed on a basic framework to renew the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lefts-latest-health-care-scheme-will-worsen-inflation-the-deficit-and-your-insurance\/\" title=\"Left\u2019s Latest Health Care Scheme Will Wor... Inflation, The Deficit, And Your Insurance\">enhanced subsidies<\/a>, a pandemic-era benefit that expired at the end of last year, but the question of abortion restrictions had emerged as the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3885355\/funding-restrictions-abortions-extension-obamacare-subsidies\/\">biggest stumbling block<\/a>, with Democrats rebuffing Republicans&rsquo; insistence that Hyde needed to be tightened to prevent the alleged payouts.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Look, we had Republicans saying, strictly, without any movement at all, there will never be a scenario in which a single solitary Republican will allow federal funding to pay for an abortion, period,&rdquo; said Moreno, who is leading the GOP side of negotiations with Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME). &ldquo;The Democrats were saying, well, we don&rsquo;t think that&rsquo;s happening, and we&rsquo;re not looking to change the status quo, which is good.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;So, what we came down to is, well, let&rsquo;s do an audit to see if, in fact, insurance companies are funding abortions with federal tax dollars,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;So that&rsquo;s in there, and that will answer the question.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>It remains to be seen whether that language will be enough to overcome waning interest in the Obamacare subsidy negotiations, which emerged out of a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >43-day government shutdown centered<\/a> on healthcare.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>A handful of centrist Democrats have expressed openness to rework guardrails on the subsidies, including adding income limits and fraud measures, but Democratic leadership is still intent on a &ldquo;clean&rdquo; extension and has so far stayed out of the bipartisan talks.<\/p>\n<p>Rank-and-file Republicans, meanwhile, appear skeptical of the audit language, with Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) noting that the Government Accountability Office has already <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gao.gov\/assets\/gao-18-508r.pdf\">scrutinized<\/a> compliance with the Hyde Amendment.<\/p>\n<p>He declined to weigh in on the merits of the bill until he&rsquo;s had a chance to review the text but previously <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2026\/01\/06\/conservatives-anti-abortion-trump-health-care-gop-00712565\">rebuffed<\/a> President Donald Trump&rsquo;s entreaty to congressional Republicans to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4407991\/trump-airs-grievances-preaches-healthcare-midterm-focus-hyde\/\">be &ldquo;flexible&rdquo;<\/a> on the abortion language.<\/p>\n<p>Moreno told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> that he would not push for a proposal that cannot obtain the support of at least half of his conference, though he first wants to gauge Democrats&rsquo; interest.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It seems to me that they don&rsquo;t want to solve this problem, so we&rsquo;re going to see if indeed they do,&rdquo; Moreno said of Senate Democrats, telling reporters that he sent the legislative text to the four &ldquo;most involved&rdquo; in negotiations on Wednesday afternoon and was waiting to hear back.<\/p>\n<p>The framework has not changed substantially since bipartisan talks on the subsidies began to fizzle out earlier this month. The bill would crack down on &ldquo;ghost enrollees&rdquo; by requiring a minimum $5 premium and limiting eligibility to taxpayers earning less than 700% of the federal poverty limit.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4408824\/obamacare-subsidies-deal-majority-republican-support-bernie-moreno\/\"><strong>BERNIE MORENO ANGLES FOR MAJORITY GOP SUPPORT IN OBAMACARE SUBSIDY TALKS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>But in a sign of how momentum has slipped, the legislation would now extend Obamacare enrollment to the end of March, rather than the beginning of the month as negotiators first proposed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Time&rsquo;s not on our side,&rdquo; Moreno said, acknowledging that the window for a deal is closing. &ldquo;I mean, we can&rsquo;t let this go on too much longer.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Moreno proposes Hyde audit in Obamacare talks<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2651,"featured_media":2555924,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/bernie-moreno-auto-bill.webp?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[41111,32226,49194,42803,36292],"class_list":["post-2555923","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-abortion-policy","tag-bernie-moreno","tag-hyde-amendment","tag-ohio-politics","tag-reproductive-rights"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/bernie-moreno-auto-bill.webp?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2555923","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2651"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2555923"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2555923\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2555927,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2555923\/revisions\/2555927"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2555924"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2555923"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2555923"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2555923"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}