A revised GOP health care plan lacks enough favorable votes required to pass in the U.S. Senate. The legislation is the third attempt this year by Republicans to repeal and replace Obamacare. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, says Republicans must find out how they can gain more support for the proposal.
Sen. McCaskill (left) and Sen. Blunt (right)
“This is important work to be done. It affects families. It affects health care,” says Blunt. “We need to find out where the votes are.”
The GOP bill would have allowed insurers offering Obamacare plans to have cheaper, bare-bones policies. It also would have included preserving a tax on wealthy Americans’ investment income for five to seven years.
“We all know the best place to get insurance is still at work, where somebody else does the negotiations, somebody else reads the policy. Ways that more people can get insurance at work is important,” says Blunt.
In a statement from Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, she tells Missourinet the existing law must be fixed to work better for Americans.
“To Missouri families and businesses, healthcare isn’t a political game,” says McCaskill. “Let’s get the debate around these decisions out of the back room, and work toward compromises with both Democrats and Republicans.”
At a mid-Missouri town hall meeting earlier this month, McCaskill asked the audience of 265 people how many support the GOP House or Senate health care plan. No one raised their hand.
The GOP needs 50 votes in support of passing the legislation. The members who oppose the revised plan include Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., Susan Collins, R-Maine and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska.
President Trump says Republicans should allow the current health care law to fail.
“We’re not going to own it. I’m not going to own it. I can tell you the Republicans are not going to own it,” says Trump.
Despite Trump’s comment to let the law fail, he indicates the repeal fight will go on and says “Republicans will win.”
