How GOP’s Long-Sought Victory In Health Law Ruling Could Become A Headache That Lingers Into 2020 Elections
Republicans had already stripped away or blunted the more unpopular provisions in the health law, even if they never repealed it completely. What was left were the ideas that enjoy bipartisan support -- such as protections for preexisting conditions coverage. And Republicans have struggled to come up with a viable replacement for the law, which has reshaped the country's health care landscape to set certain expectations with the American public. Meanwhile, GOP senators blocked a resolution to intervene in the Texas lawsuit.
The Washington Post:
Why Republicans (Secretly) Want The ACA To Survive
A Texas judge’s decision to declare the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional has spooked Republicans who are unsure whether they have realized the long-sought victory celebrated by President Trump or stumbled into a nightmare that will haunt them through the next election cycle. They had already killed or softened its most loathed sections: The reviled penalty for not having health insurance was zeroed out as part of last year’s tax overhaul. The Trump administration had expanded access to far less robust — and much cheaper — insurance than the law mandated. It even allowed states to impose work rules on those eligible for expanded Medicaid benefits. (Johnson, 12/19)
The Hill:
Senate GOP Blocks Bid To Intervene In ObamaCare Case
Senate Republicans on Wednesday blocked a vote on a resolution that would have allowed the Senate to intervene in a federal lawsuit against ObamaCare. Democrats asked for unanimous consent to authorize the Senate legal counsel to defend ObamaCare in court after a district judge in Texas declared the entire law unconstitutional last week. The case is almost certainly headed for an appeal. (Hellmann, 12/19)