ObamaCare Replacement Sidelined – New Strategy: Clean Repeal Now, Replacement Later

McConnell said that “regretfully, it is now apparent that the effort to repeal and immediately replace the failure of Obamacare will not be successful.”

A group of Republicans senators including Mike Lee, Jerry Moran, Rand Paul and Susan Collins publicly opposed McConnell’s plan to repeal and replace Obamacare immediately saying the new policy was rushed and that it should be openly discussed by the Senate with hearings.

“We should not put our stamp of approval on bad policy,” tweeted Moran. 

This ended any chance of the bill being passed in the Senate. 

So now McConnell is making just the quick repeal his priority for now. 

“So, in the coming days, the Senate will vote to take up the House bill with the first amendment in order being what a majority of the Senate has already supported in 2015 and that was vetoed by then-President Obama: a repeal of Obamacare with a two-year delay to provide for a stable transition period to a patient-centered health care system that gives Americans access to quality, affordable care,” said McConnell. 

President Donald Trump tweeted that he thought it was time to start from a “clean slate.” 

“Republicans should just REPEAL failing ObamaCare now & work on a new Healthcare Plan that will start from a clean slate. Dems will join in!” tweeted Trump late Monday.

“This second failure of Trumpcare is proof positive that the core of this bill is unworkable,” said Chuck Schumer, Senate minority leader  “Rather than repeating the same failed, partisan process yet again, Republicans should start from scratch and work with Democrats on a bill that lowers premiums, provides long term stability to the markets and improves our health care system.”

Even with removing the replacement policy from the equation, getting Obamacare repealed won’t be easy. 

“McConnell will need to overcome procedural hurdles if he wants the Senate to get to a vote on a repeal-only proposal. He’ll need at least 50 senators to support getting on the House-passed legislation, which is being used as a vehicle for any Senate action,” writes The Hill. 

“And separating the two could force Republicans to get 60 votes — and the support of Democrats — on the replacement legislation. It wasn’t immediately clear when the Senate would try to pass the repeal legislation. The upper chamber is expected to be in session until Aug. 11, when members will leave town until early September.”

Sen. John McCain said that he doesn’t want lawmakers to repeat the Democrat’s mistake of passing Obamacare without input from both parties. 

“The Congress must now return to regular order, hold hearings, receive input from members of both parties, and heed the recommendations of our nation’s governors so that we can produce a bill that finally provides Americans with access to quality and affordable health care,” said McCain. 

The 2015 repeal bill was passed in the Senate 52-47, but was then vetoed by former President Barack Obama. This year the proposal has received less support so far. But several think that will change considering recent developments.

“Expect growing calls from conservatives for Congress to take up full repeal bill that passed under Obama,” tweeted Alyssa Farah, a spokeswoman for the conservative House Freedom Caucus.

Author’s note: Obamacare has proven to be a complete failure. It’s time to stop the bleeding and let the GOP come up with a much better solution in open hearings. 

Editor’s note:  I always thought it was a better idea to repeal Obamacare first. With all of the arguments about pre-existing conditions and people losing their coverage, it did not seem they were working toward a program to allow prices to fall.  Here at Punchingbag Media, we have a plan, see below.