A Hint From GOP Leaders: Replacement Plan May Not Maintain Health Law’s Coverage Expansions
In other news about the ongoing debate about the health law, House Speaker Paul Ryan says that a replacement plan will be completed in 2017. But some Republicans are voicing caution as the financial implications hit home. Ultimately, elements of the law may survive.
Bloomberg:
GOP Won’t Say If People Will Lose Insurance In Obamacare Repeal
Top Republicans in Congress are refusing to promise that their plans to replace Obamacare won’t result in more uninsured Americans, putting them on a possible collision course with President-elect Donald Trump. "Look, I’m not going to get ahead of our committee process," House Speaker Paul Ryan told reporters Thursday when asked if he can guarantee a GOP replacement would cover as many people as the Affordable Care Act. "We’re just beginning to put this together." House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy was also reluctant to make that commitment when asked on Tuesday, saying, "There’s a lot of areas that you want to look at." (Kapur, 1/5)
The Associated Press:
Ryan: Lawmakers Will Act This Year On Replacing Health Law
Lawmakers will act this year on bills not simply repealing President Barack Obama's health care law but replacing it as well, House Speaker Paul Ryan said Thursday. The remarks by Ryan, R-Wis., suggested a faster schedule than some had expected on reshaping the nation's health care system. While Republicans have said they plan to vote this year on dismantling Obama's law, Ryan went a step further, saying they also would write legislation to replace it in 2017. It won't be easy. (Fram, 1/5)
Bloomberg:
Senate GOP Jitters Grow On Obamacare Repeal With No Replacement
Republican plans to repeal Obamacare without detailing a replacement are hitting resistance from at least three GOP senators, which would be enough to scuttle the strategy party leaders devised to deliver quickly on a central promise from President-elect Donald Trump. Only one of the senators -- Rand Paul of Kentucky -- has so far said he plans to vote against the procedural gambit that sets up Obamacare repeal, citing unrelated budget concerns. Paul and two others are concerned that Republicans haven’t said yet how they would replace the health insurance scheme after repeal, with one of them also opposing the plan to defund Planned Parenthood as part of the repeal. (Dennis and Kapur, 1/5)
The Wall Street Journal:
Republicans Face Pressure For Push To Repeal Affordable Care Act
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday reiterated the need to move swiftly to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, as Republicans face growing questions about the turmoil that might ensue and the viability of crafting a replacement. ... But there are increasing signs that the final result of the intensifying battle over health care will be more complicated, and that the final health plan may retain or restore parts of the Affordable Care Act. (Armour and Hackman, 1/5)
The Washington Post:
Conservatives Ready To Support $1 Trillion Hole In The Budget
Some of the most conservative members of Congress say they are ready to vote for a budget that would — at least on paper — balloon the deficit to more than $1 trillion by the end of the decade, all for the sake of eventually repealing the Affordable Care Act. In a dramatic reversal, many members of the hard-line House Freedom Caucus said Thursday they are prepared later this month to support a budget measure that would explode the deficit and increase the public debt to more than $29.1 trillion by 2026, figures contained in the budget resolution itself. (Snell and Weigel, 1/5)
The Los Angeles Times:
7 Things You Need To Know About The Future Of Obamacare
In case it’s been a while since you read about the Affordable Care Act and the GOP replacement plans, here’s a refresher on the biggest Obamacare issues. (Levey, 1/5)