Mcconnell faces hunt for gop votes for senate health bill
You're referring to the current situation in the US Senate!
Yes, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is facing a challenge in gathering enough Republican votes to pass the Senate's version of the healthcare bill, also known as the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA). The bill is intended to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare.
Here's a brief summary of the situation:
- The BCRA was introduced by Senate Republicans on June 22, 2017, as a replacement for the ACA.
- The bill aims to reduce the federal deficit, repeal the individual and employer mandates, and provide block grants to states to manage Medicaid.
- However, the bill has faced opposition from both moderate and conservative Republicans, as well as Democrats.
- On July 17, 2017, the Senate voted 43-57 against a motion to proceed with the bill, effectively killing it.
- Since then, McConnell has been working to revise the bill to win over more Republican votes.
The challenges McConnell faces include:
- Moderate Republicans: Senators like Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) have expressed concerns about the bill's impact on Medicaid and the number of people who would lose health insurance.
- Conservative Republicans: Senators like Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Rand Paul (R-KY) have criticized the bill for not going far enough in repealing the ACA and reducing government spending.
- Democrats: All Senate Democrats have opposed the bill, citing concerns about the impact on vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, low-income individuals, and those with pre-existing conditions.
To overcome these challenges, McConnell has been negotiating with individual senators to win their support. He has also been considering changes to the bill, such as:
- Adding more funding for Medicaid: To address concerns from moderate Republicans, McConnell has proposed increasing funding for Medicaid by $100 billion over the next decade.
- Repealing the individual mandate: To appease conservative Republicans, McConnell has considered repealing the individual mandate, which requires individuals to purchase health insurance or face a penalty.
- Allowing states to opt out of Medicaid expansion: To give states more flexibility, McConnell has proposed allowing them to opt out of Medicaid expansion, which was a key provision of the ACA.
Despite these efforts, it remains unclear whether McConnell will be able to gather enough Republican votes to pass the bill. The situation is fluid, and developments are likely to continue unfolding in the coming days.