GOP continues tinkering
Bill gains lapsed coverage penalty; CBO says 22M may lose insurance
WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans were barreling ahead Monday for a showdown vote on a health care reform bill despite independent analysis that showed the GOP plan would leave 22 million uninsured.
President Donald Trump weighed in Monday, calling Democrats “obstructionists” for their opposition to repealing and replacing former President Barack Obama’s signature health care legacy legislation.
But Republicans were scrambling to appease factions within their own party before a vote expected later this week.
Sen. Dean Heller, R-nev., blew open the intraparty divide the Senate GOP faces when he announced Friday that he would vote against the current draft of the bill because of its cuts to Medicaid and the end of the expansion of the program, which insured more than 200,000 additional Nevadans.
Heller’s opposition followed four conservative GOP lawmakers, led by Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY., who said the draft bill did not go far enough to cut costs and fully repeal the Affordable Care Act, commonly called Obamacare.
The Senate is trying to pass the bill
HEALTH CARE
under budget reconciliation rules, which allow it to approve legislation with a simple majority and without threat of a Democratic filibuster. But the Senate must stay within budget parameters.
The Congressional Budget Office found the Senate draft would leave 22 million uninsured over 10 years yet reduce federal deficits by $321 billion.
The CBO found that a Housepassed health care bill would leave about 23 million without coverage over a 10-year period and reduce federal deficits by $119 billion.
The extra savings in the Senate bill gives Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell, R-KY., more flexibility to offer programs like opioid addiction coverage to attract moderate senators wavering on the bill.
Groups announce opposition
Still, the analysis comes on the heels of several major groups announcing their opposition to the bill and its proposals, particularly Medicaid cuts.
The National Association of Medicaid Directors, a bipartisan organization that represents state agencies across the country, said any changes to Medicaid need clearly articulated legislative changes for states to follow.
“The Senate bill does not accomplish that. It would be a transfer of risk, responsibility and cost to the states of historic proportions,” the association stated.
And the nation’s largest doctors’ group, the American Medical Association, sent Mcconnell and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., a letter outlining its opposition.
“Medicine has long operated under the precept of Primum non nocere, or ‘first, do no harm.’ The draft legislation violates that standard on many levels,” the AMA wrote.
Democrats have remained united in opposition to repeal of the ACA,