washington u.s. senator lamar alexander tuesday make first move senior republican work democrats repair obamacare party fail repeal replace healthcare law announce work bipartisan legislation stabilize individual health insurance market alexander chair senate health committee urge u.s. president donald trump drop threat cut government subsidy payments insurers make obamacare plan affordable allow payments september senator also say fellow lawmakers fund payments one year alexander announcement follow spectacular failure last week senate republicans pass repeal replacement affordable care act former president barack obama signature domestic initiative also refer obamacare tennessee republican say senate health committee hold hear begin week september action congress take stabilize strengthen individual health insurance market americans able buy insurance affordable price year 2018 goal alexander say would legislation sponsor party would stabilize insurance market help low premiums 2018 roughly 18 million americans buy health insurance individual market instead get insurance employer trump frustrate republicans able keep promise repeal replace obamacare threaten let law implode include cut billion subsidies use make obamacare health plan affordable low income americans insurers finalize insurance premium rat 2018 ask congress guarantee fund stay place rest year 2018. without subsidies say need raise premium rat 20 percent without answer insurers file preliminary rat base different parameters set rat assume subsidies would pay others set rat assume would submit two different set rat reflect outcomes senator patty murray top democrat health panel welcome alexander statement say look forward work bipartisan manner stabilize healthcare market reduce premiums house bipartisan group 43 lawmakers monday call congress quickly stabilize individual insurance market appropriate money cost-sharing payments create stability fund state republican make first move work democrats healthcare