Conservatives to introduce their own ObamaCare plan

Conservative lawmakers said Tuesday they will introduce their own ObamaCare repeal plan, objecting to House GOP leadership’s proposal.

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said they will introduce a clean bill to repeal ObamaCare, as Congress did in 2015. 

The conservatives argue that they should vote on repeal as a separate measure from replacement, and then debate how to replace ObamaCare. 

They object to several aspects of Republican leadership’s plan, including a refundable tax credit to help people buy insurance that they dub a “new entitlement.”

{mosads}”We voted on this last year, and every Republican voted for it,” Paul said at a press conference alongside his House conservative colleagues. “That’s what we should do again.”

“You have to get rid of ObamaCare completely,” Jordan added. 

While some conservative lawmakers say they will oppose the leadership-backed bill, Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), chairman of the Freedom Caucus, said his group has not yet taken a formal position. 

They will debate the issue at a meeting Tuesday night. 

Meadows and other conservatives met with Vice President Pence earlier Tuesday to try to address concerns. Meadows said the meeting was “encouraging” because Pence assured them that the bill is “still open for negotiation.”

It appears, though, that substantial changes would be needed to satisfy conservatives that could be hard to make.