Rand Paul introduces alternative to ‘Obamacare Lite’ bill that focuses on repeal

Few things appear to excite the House Speaker more than rolling up his sleeves, switching on his PowerPoint, and explaining some dry, complicated piece of proposed legislation.

The bill would replace Barack Obama’s signature law, so-called Obamacare.

Called the American Health Care Act, House Republicans’ proposal released Monday would unwind much of Obamacare over the next three years.

Analysts have said that a simple repeal of Obamacare could lead to the loss of health-care insurance coverage for up to 30 million people, as well as sharply higher premium prices for the remaining handful of people who would remain in the individual insurance marketplace. If it approved by the Budget Committee (also Republican-controlled), it will move on to the House floor. “With the second group, it might be easier for them to get these new tax credits, but these new tax credits, in all likelihood, won’t go as far as the more complicated ones under the Affordable Care Act”.

Moderate Republicans are also concerned people will be stripped of cover, while conservatives sense federal overreach. It’s not clear he succeeded convincing either side, but the bill claimed its first procedural victory early Thursday morning when it passed through the House Ways and Means Committee after about 18 hours of debate and later Energy and Commerce Committee.

The road to passage may get rockier after the Congressional Budget Office weighs in on the cost of the legislation. What did the hospitals and doctors say about it? Well, now that the Republican party has control of each level of government: presidency, house of representatives, senate, and a tie in supreme court with a vacant seat to be filled by Trump and congress. It converts Medicaid to a program in which states have a set amount to spend on each enrollee per year.

The American Medical Association also came out against the bill, calling it “Critically Flawed”.

The aide called the expected bill a “consensus Republican plan”, but offered no details.

For the full list of changes in chart form, head to the link below.

“If they have some suggestions that improve predictability, fairness to all the participants – including insurance companies – then we have something to talk about”, she said.

When President Donald Trump and Republican leaders unveiled their replacement for the Affordable Care Act this week, I had a simple test: If the plan covered as many Americans with high-quality health care at an affordable cost, I would jump to support it.

“If you’re looking at the CBO for accuracy, you’re looking in the wrong place”, White House spokesperson Sean Spicer said on Wednesday.