Trump’s Obamacare repeal bid suffers major Senate setback

It’s an atypical legislative strategy in which Republicans would vote “yes” on legislation that no one wants to ultimately pass.

It’s possible that even if Republican senators pass the “skinny repeal” and it goes to conference, House and Senate Republicans won’t be able iron out disagreements between moderates and conservatives that have dogged them for months. Over the past seven years, they promised they would repeal the law and replace it with something that solved all those problems. “But you can’t have everything”.

Those three votes can block Republicans’ hopes of passing any plan with a majority vote without Democratic support.

It would also grant states broad waivers to opt out of key elements of the ACA and redefine their own health care systems. Senate Republicans hold 52 seats to Democrats’ 48.

The bill failed early Friday when McCain joined early opposers Lisa Murkowski (R- AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME) to team up with the Democrats to block the bill.

Mr Trump, who had made replacing Obamacare central to his successful campaign for the White House, responded on Twitter, saying those who voted against the repeal move had “let the American people down”.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said that Democrats are ready to work with Republicans on future health care legislation.

First, on Tuesday, the Senate’s replacement for the ACA – the Better Care and Reconciliation Act (BCRA) – was rejected by a margin of 57 to 43.

“It’s time to move on”, he added after pulling the bill from the floor.

But he stunned his party when the final vote was at hand early Friday when he voted “no” and killed the legislation. The GOP’s “skinny” repeal bill was defeated 49-51, falling just short of the 50 votes needed to advance it. Republicans Susan Collins of ME and Lisa Murkowski also voted against it.

In a statement issued after the vote, Mr.McCain called for bipartisan deliberations in the Senate.

“If moving forward requires a conference committee, that is something the House is willing to do”, House Speaker Paul Ryan said in a statement Thursday evening.

The bill, formally named the Health Care Freedom Act, but nicknamed “skinny repeal”, was unveiled shortly before the Senate was slated to vote on the legislation.

President Donald Trump didn’t hide his disappointment, accusing the bill’s opponents of having “let the American people down” in a tweet sent well after midnight ET. It has been estimated that 15 million more people would be uninsured next year, and 16 million more in 2026, if the Republican proposals were to be passed.

Republican Gov. Chris Sununu called the bill’s defeat “absolutely disappointing” but said all parties needed to work together to address the Affordable Care Office, “which has absolutely failed for this country”.