Week ahead: Conservatives to unveil ObamaCare replacement

Another Republican ObamaCare replacement plan is coming out as a Supreme Court decision looms.

On Tuesday, the conservative Republican Study Committee will be announcing its ObamaCare replacement plan, the American Health Care Reform Act.

A previous version of the bill was released by the RSC in 2013. It repealed ObamaCare and included tax breaks to help people afford insurance, as well as funding for state high-risk pools aimed at people with pre-existing conditions.

{mosads}The new version of the plan arrives ahead of a coming decision in King v. Burwell, which could invalidate ObamaCare subsidies that help 7.5 million people afford health insurance.

Rep. Phil Roe (R-Tenn.), one of the leaders of the RSC, told The Hill last month he is worried House leaders need to include more members in their planning.

“I haven’t punched the panic button yet, but time is short and this is not something that we can discuss in a one-hour caucus and get buy-in on it,” he said. “Boom, June will be on us.”

RSC leaders say that they want their plan to help shape the Republican response to the court ruling. The House’s response is being crafted by three committee chairmen, Reps. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and John Kline (R-Minn.).

One central question is whether the ObamaCare subsidies will be maintained temporarily, an issue that has split Republicans.

In a lower-profile ObamaCare issue, the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday will hold a hearing to consider a bill to reform menu-labeling rules under the health law.

The bill has bipartisan support from Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.). It would exempt companies that make less than half their revenue from prepared foods from having to display calorie counts.

Menu labeling could be online-only for pizza places and other businesses where people tend to order over the phone.

The Energy and Commerce Committee will also look at improper payments under Medicaid. The oversight subcommittee points to the program’s 6.7 percent payment error rate, or about $17.5 billion in 2014.

“Subcommittee members will discuss the integrity of the Medicaid program as part of the committee’s ongoing effort to ensure the program is able to deliver on its core promise of providing for the most vulnerable,” the committee said in a statement.

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