New GOP health bill lacks the votes to pass

[Right_in_Virginia]

New GOP health bill lacks the votes to pass
The Hill, Jul 17, 2017, 08:37 PM EDT

GOP Sens. Jerry Moran  (Kansas) and Mike Lee (Utah) announced on Monday night they will not support taking up a bill repealing and replacing ObamaCare, effectively blocking the legislation.

Their decision means Republicans in the Senate are well short of having the support to pass their legislation, and raises serious questions about whether President Trump will reach his goal of ending ObamaCare.

Moran and Lee both said the bill failed to do enough to lower premiums.

"This closed-door process has yielded the [bill], which fails to repeal the Affordable Care Act or address healthcare’s rising costs. For the same reasons I could not support the previous version of this bill, I cannot support this one," Moran said in a statement.

Highlighting the challenges faced by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell  (R-Ky.), Lee argued the measure is not conservative enough, tugging in the opposite direction from moderates.


More: http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/342447-two-more-gop-senators-defect-on-healthcare-bill

[bilo]

Sen Cruz has the solution if the senate is so hell bent on saving obamacare. In fact his solution satisfies conservatives and most moderates. Why not attach his amendment to the "mean" House bill and declare victory.

[Right_in_Virginia]

I wonder how fast this would change if the President signed an Executive Order placing all federal lawmakers under Obamacare.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Sen Cruz has the solution if the senate is so hell bent on saving obamacare. In fact his solution satisfies conservatives and most moderates. Why not attach his amendment to the "mean" House bill and declare victory.

I thought the Senator's amendment was included. 

[bilo]

I thought the Senator's amendment was included.

No, what they did was rewrite it and required insurance companies to lump those buying "skinny" plans with those buying obamacare plans into one risk pool. So insurance companies would sell policies with very different underwriting but they would then have to lump them together to calculate cost. The result would be that the "skinny" plans would be way more expensive. I suspect that whoever put this together really doesn't want to end govt control over healthcare.

The major medical plans would be very attractive to young people and a lot of small businesses because the cost is so low. Also, these plans would allow those buying them to keep their doctors and go to hospitals they desired. The obamacare plans would be more expensive, but would be subsidized by all tax payers and would not exclude pre-existing conditions.

[TomSea]

I thought the Senator's amendment was included. 

Insurance companies called the amendment or plan unworkable.

[bilo]

I wonder how fast this would change if the President signed an Executive Order placing all federal lawmakers under Obamacare.

I remember when the legislators balked at being subject to it "because it creates to big a burden on our staffs".

I hung in an continued to send contributions to conservatives and voted for the Pubs with the promise thyat given a majority they would repeal this garbage. I lost my insurance. I had to restructure my business and all of my former employees that I hired back as contractors lost their insurance as well. I use to provide a "skinny" major medical policy. Luckily I found Medi-share and a lot of the guys also qualified for it, but not all. So when I hear from all the "do gooders" who insist that pre-existing conditions must be excluded I want to puke. They have no idea the damage they've done and like most liberals with all their moral preening they don't even care that it's destroyed peoples lives. They just want something for nothing.

[TomSea]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucejapsen/2017/07/12/insurers-rip-ted-cruzs-trumpcare-amendment/?commentId=blogAndPostId/blog/comment/2125-24102-11472

http://healthcaremenu.net/2017/07/13/can-ted-cruzs-trumpcare-amendment-be-tweaked-enough-to-save/

More articles are out there.

[bilo]

Insurance companies called the amendment or plan unworkable.

Because of how it was rewritten.

[Mom MD]

A pox on all their houses.  I hope I can hang on for 3 more years until I can retire

[RoosGirl]

What happened to the wonderful plan that the Republicans had drafted during the time that Ocare was passed?  Why is this all of a sudden some huge hurry to fix the crap sandwich we've been eating for thr last 7 years instead of throwing it away?  There must be a hell of a lot of cash changing hands for repeal to be off the table.

[bilo]

Because of how it was rewritten.

Senator Lee said:

    After conferring with trusted experts regarding the latest version of the Consumer Freedom Amendment, I have decided I cannot support the current version of the Better Care Reconciliation Act. In addition to not repealing all of the Obamacare taxes, it doesn’t go far enough in lowering premiums for middle class families; nor does it create enough free space from the most costly Obamacare regulations.

I think it is a safe bet that Sen Cruz is not supporting the rewritten amendment as well. He's probably staying quiet with the hope that the original amendment can be used.

[Formerly Once-Ler]

It is official...GOP is worthless.

[Right_in_Virginia]

https://twitter.com/SenateMajLdr/status/887142105583431680

[RoosGirl]

Thank goodness Trump won or we'd be stuck with Obamacare...  Hey!  Wait just a cotton pickin minute!

[RoosGirl]

https://twitter.com/SenateMajLdr/status/887142105583431680

I don't see a date on this. Is this the latest?

[Oceander]

Thank goodness Trump won or we'd be stuck with Obamacare...  Hey!  Wait just a cotton pickin minute!

Don't forget that Mexican-paid-for wall.

[Right_in_Virginia]

I don't see a date on this. Is this the latest?

Yes, click on the link provided.  @RoosGirl

[RoosGirl]

Yes, click on the link provided.  @RoosGirl

Thanks.  I've clicked on twitter links before and couldn't read them because twitter wanted me to have an account, but that one worked for me.

I temporarily recind my previous statement pending outcome of this vote. :)

[Right_in_Virginia]

Thank goodness Trump won or we'd be stuck with Obamacare...  Hey!  Wait just a cotton pickin minute!

You do know the different roles the Executive and Congressional Branches of government play, don't you @RoosGirl ?

If not, send me a PM and I'll be happy to catch you up.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Donald J. Trump‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump 6m6 minutes
Republicans should just REPEAL failing ObamaCare now & work on a new Healthcare Plan that will start from a clean slate. Dems will join in!

Between the President's dinner with the Senators, his tweet and McConnell's update it appears full repeal is a coordinated plan.


@INVAR --- Thought this would interest you.   ^-^

[RoosGirl]

You do know the different roles the Executive and Congressional Branches of government play, don't you @RoosGirl ?

If not, send me a PM and I'll be happy to catch you up.

Lady, you know full well what I meant with that comment. Or do you not remember that the republican congress repealed obamacare previously to no effect?  Now why was that?!

[Right_in_Virginia]

President Trump and VP Pence had dinner tonight with 7 Senate Republicans:

 

[RetBobbyMI]

Sen Cruz has the solution if the senate is so hell bent on saving obamacare. In fact his solution satisfies conservatives and most moderates. Why not attach his amendment to the "mean" House bill and declare victory.

Because McTurtle doesn't want anything the Democrats can't support. Until he is gone, the Republicats have no backbone.

[RoosGirl]

@Right_in_Virginia This time it was a dig at Congress, but truthfully digs at both are easy and well deserved.