CBO says revised GOP health care bill still leaves 24 million uninsured

Hardline conservatives continue to insist that the bill leaves too numerous Affordable Care Act’s structures in place, failing to live up to the GOP promise of repealing Obama’s signature health-care bill.

The postponement is a setback for the president who had insisted he would win the numbers to pass it through the lower chamber of Congress on Thursday.

Freedom Caucus Chairman Meadows told Reuters he was still a “no” vote as of late Thursday and felt Trumpcare’s champion, House Speaker Ryan, had “a very hard task [ahead of him] to get enough votes”. “Most likely due to the length of the debate, we will move the vote to tomorrow morning so that we do not end up voting at 3 o’clock in the morning”.

“No member of Congress should vote for this bill – or any bill – that repeals health care and raises costs and cuts coverage”, said a statement from Leslie Dach, campaign director for Protect Our Care.

WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY SEAN SPICER, on Mr Trump’s political threats.

Republicans were struggling to get the necessary amount of votes needed to repeal Obama’s landmark legislation, with both conservative and moderate Republicans backing away from what was meant to be President Trump’s first major legislative accomplishment.

The Democratic minority is prepared to vote against it as a bloc, so Republican leaders need to limit defections to just 22 out of their party’s 237 representatives among the House’s 430 current members.

Former President Barack Obama defended his legacy by arguing that “America is stronger because of the Affordable Care Act” and calling healthcare “a right for everybody”.

The Koch brothers, two of the biggest financial backers of the conservative movement, have opposed the legislation and pledged to support Republicans who defy Mr Trump and their party leadership.

“One of the reasons I don’t want this bill to fail is I don’t want Paul to fail”, Simpson said.

Conservative lawmakers emerged from a White House meeting with President Trump Thursday saying they still had no deal to vote for a crucial bill to repeal and replace Obamacare.

The billionaire Koch brothers also oppose the bill, announcing this week that their new 2018 midterm election fund will only serve those Republicans who vote against the AHCA, according to CNN. Trump tweeted to supporters, “Go with our plan!” It also said that 24 million fewer people would be insured by 2026.

Idaho’s only other House member, Republican Rep. Mike Simpson, had still not decided how to vote on the bill.

Trump and Ryan have spent weeks trying to convince Republicans to support the bill in meetings and promised to address some of those concerns through amendments and new provisions should the bill make it to the Senate.

He played down what he called the “artificial deadline” of Thursday.

“We’re committed to stay as late as it needs to be to talk to some of the Tuesday Group”, Meadows told reporters.