ObamaCare repeal faces last obstacle before House vote

The GOP’s ObamaCare repeal-and-replace plan is just one committee away from a vote on the House floor, where it is far from clear if it has the support to survive.

The House Rules panel has taken up the American Health Care Act (AHCA), with discussions and debate expected to last through Wednesday afternoon.

The legislation is expected to clear the Rules Committee, but at least 23 Republican members have come out against it, enough to doom the bill in the House.

Republicans have submitted more than 20 amendments for consideration, highlighting the divide between conservatives and leadership, though it’s unclear if any will be accepted Wednesday.

{mosads}The markup comes as members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus continue to threaten to vote against the bill unless substantial changes are made.

They want to see a repeal of ObamaCare’s insurer regulations and mandates, arguing those changes would drive down the cost of premiums.

But GOP leadership says those changes are not allowed under reconciliation, the procedure being used to pass the bill in the House.

Rep. Diane Black (R-Tenn.), chairwoman of the House Budget Committee, described the vote as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to reform healthcare.

“As this bill continues to better reflect our patient-centered vision of healthcare, we will soon be faced with a stark choice. The choice is between repealing and replacing ObamaCare and voting to keep ObamaCare’s status quo,” she said at the hearing during her testimony.

Chairmen Greg Walden (R-Ore.) and Kevin Brady (R-Texas) of the Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means committees, respectively, also testified at the hearing Wednesday to sell the bill to skeptics and to answer questions.

“Our plan will not pull the rug out from anyone,” Walden said.

The GOP plan keeps ObamaCare provisions that require insurers to cover people with pre-existing conditions and allow kids to stay on their parents’ health insurance plans until age 26.

But it also downsizes the subsidies under ObamaCare, basing them on age rather than income. It also would eliminate the Medicaid expansion by 2020 and eliminate the requirement that everyone have insurance.

Outside the Capitol, President Trump met with 10 members who still have not said they will vote on the legislation, including Freedom Caucus members.

Some moderates also say they are undecided about how they will vote Thursday, even after meeting with Trump Tuesday.

“I had reservations going in, and I still have reservations going out,” Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.) told reporters after his meeting with Trump Tuesday, adding that he wants to see an updated score from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

The CBO’s initial report found the plan would cause 24 million people to lose health insurance over the next decade.

An updated CBO report taking into account changes made by leadership this week is expected Wednesday evening.

Republicans noted that there would likely be changes to the bill if it passes the House.

“We’re in a legislative process, and what we do here today isn’t going to be the final word. What we do tomorrow… won’t be the final thing. It will continue to change,” said Vice Chairman Tom Cole (Okla.)

The bill faces big hurdles in the Senate, where three Republican senators have already said firmly that they will not vote for it. 

Sens. Mike Lee (Utah), Rand Paul (Ky.) and Ted Cruz (Texas), have called for a full repeal of ObamaCare and its taxes and regulations.

Meanwhile, more moderate senators like Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine) have said they are concerned about that plan’s potential coverage loses and its Medicaid rollback.