Some additional updates:

It looks like we are rushing toward the finish line with the likelihood that we will see a “skinny” repeal bill put up for a vote. When it comes down to it, after all the amendments, there will likely be a vote on a bill that repeals three things: the individual mandate, the business mandate, and the medical devices tax. Here’s what this would do:

·               Over 15 million people would lose health care

·               Raise health insurance premiums by 20% EACH YEAR for the foreseeable future

·               Destabilize the health insurance markets  

·               Lay a path for a conference bill that will include Medicaid cuts and caps

Now is the last great push—call, e-mail, visit offices, use social media. Here are the messages:

·               NONE of the plans put forward in the Senate create more or better health care for Americans

·               NONE of the plans protect people with disabilities

·               The SKINNY bill denies health care to over 15 million people

·               The SKINNY plan is still a threat to Medicaid if the bill goes to conference

·               The Senate should not relinquish its responsibility to create good policy

·               It is time for bi-partisan efforts to improve health care

Like Tuesday, we need thousands and thousands of phone calls, e-mails, visits, and social media posts before 8:00 p.m. EDT to Senate offices 

 ___________________

 Friends,

 

It’s GO time. Today is Day 2 of debate, and we’re fired up and ready to go. The Senate went in at 10am with roughly 10 hours of debate to go.  Votes on Daines #340 expected at 2:15.

 

As a reminder – time spent voting doesn’t count toward the hours of debate.  Neither does time in a quorum call immediately preceding a vote.  The staff expect to see the sun go down - and up - before this is over. 

 

Possibilities on deck today:

 

• Another Republican Plan: the Graham-Cassidy bill
  • The language is out: repeal the individual and employer mandates, provide a $110 billion “super block grant” for states using ACA dollars, and repeal the medical device tax.  Launders the spending through CHIP.  Will they ask for a vote?  We shall see!
• Three amendments filed by Senator McCain
  • You may remember that during his floor speech on Tuesday, Senator McCain stated that he would not vote for final passage until the Republican bill incorporated several key changes to ease the impact of Trumpcare on Arizona.
  • Immediately after his speech, the Senator filed three amendments that would:
    • 1. Give early expansion states a higher federal match rate while Medicaid expansion is repealed (90% until 2023)
    • 2. Adjust the Medicaid per capita cap formula by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for medical care (+2% for the “blind, aged, and disabled” and +1% for expansion enrollees and other nonelderly, nonblind, nondisabled adults).
    • 3. Phase out enhanced funding for the Medicaid expansion by 2 percent per year over 10 years (making the repeal of Medicaid expansion more gradual over time).
  • He also voted for BCRA
• An amendment offered by Republican Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) that introduces Rep. Conyers’ Medicare for All legislation;
• The so-called skinny repeal bill (more on that below);
• And, at the conclusion will be vote-a-rama.

 

Republicans still think they can get the votes they need to pass whatever they come up with. It’s looking more and more like all eyes will be on this skinny repeal plan.  

• This is the bill that would probably repeal in the individual and employer mandates, repeal the medical device tax, and defund Planned Parenthood for a year. It’s also the plan that would send 16 million Americans off their coverage, and – not nearly reported enough – cut $220B from Medicaid.  A bill that doesn’t even purport to “touch” Medicaid still cuts the program by 100s of billions.  For those concerned about conference – that’s the

 

We need to make sure they hear loud and clear that this skinny repeal is just as awful, just as unacceptable, and that they cannot upend the entire health care system without inviting the American people to the table.