After drafting the legislation in secret, and protestors in wheelchairs were dragged outside his office, the CBO score for Mitch McConnell’s Senate healthcare bill came in, and the results weren’t pretty. With 22 million people set to lose insurance within a decade, Senate Republicans wavered. Several said they were an outright no if the bill as is came to a vote, and even more were undecided. McConnell warned that if the bill failed, the Republicans would be forced into the job of governing the country by working with Democrat colleagues. That horror has been delayed though as the vote has been postponed until after the upcoming July 4th recess.
BREAKING: Lacking votes, Senate GOP leaders abruptly delay vote on health care bill until after July 4th recess.
— The Associated Press (@AP) June 27, 2017
It’s a tough break for the seven-year attempt at repealing the Affordable Care Act. It’s hard to see how the delay will help McConnell’s efforts as the problems with the bill voiced by his own party members seem very fundamental. Per the New York Times:
Senators from states that expanded the Medicaid program — and Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine — would not brook many of those changes, especially the measure to severely undermine protections for people with pre-existing medical conditions. They wanted more money for mental health benefits for people addicted to opioids and money for states to cover people left behind by the rollback of the Medicaid program in both the House and Senate versions.
According to CNN, McConnell has said that he’ll make changes to the bill, get a new CBO score, and have a vote after July 4.
Following the announcement, McConnell spoke briefly to express hope that the GOP will get “at least 50 people in a comfortable place” before a vote.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says they hope to get “at least 50 people in a comfortable place” on the bill https://t.co/ggN3j77D7f
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) June 27, 2017
(via New York Times & CNN)