Cassidy says he has not ruled out resubmitting old Obamacare repeal bill
WASHINGTON- Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) on Thursday said he has not ruled out the possibility of resubmitting an Obamacare repeal bill that was abandoned in late-September.
“If it turns out that I’m right, that working families can’t afford their policies, I suspect it will be resubmitted,” Cassidy told TMN.
The Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson bill would have repealed the Obamacare employer and individual mandates. It would also would have allowed states under certain circumstances to waive Obamacare regulations as well as exercise greater control over Medicaid grants.
The Trump Administration supported the legislation but Senate Majority Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) declined to clear the bill for a floor vote following announcements by three upper chamber Republicans that they would not support the measure.
Republicans could only lose two votes if the bill was to pass.
In late-October Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Ranking Member Patty Murray introduced legislation to stabilize state Obamacare exchanges.
The legislation maintains Obamacare’s Cost Sharing Reduction (CSR) payments through 2019 and makes it easier for states to receive waivers from certain provisions codified in the law.
President Donald Trump in early October issued an executive order terminating CSR subsidies. The subsides reimburse insurers for providing affordable coverage to low-income families and individuals.
Trump has waved in his support of the Alexander-Murray bill.
McConnell has said he will put the legislation up for a vote once Trump announces his support for the measure.
This article is republished with permission from Talk Media News
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