The rush to end the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly referred to as Obamacare, has taken a back seat to reality as the new Republican Congress, emboldened by an incoming Republican administration in the White House, weighs its options on health care.
Five GOP senators have now submitted an amendment to extend the ACA repeal vote (through a process known as budget reconciliation) from Jan. 27 to March 3. The goal is to have a replacement health care plan in line before putting the kibosh on Obamacare.
Even President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office in days, recently signaled his desire to have replacement legislation on the table before repealing the ACA when he met with Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul.
Said Republican Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, who co-authored the extension amendment: “Repealing President Obama’s health care law and replacing it with a responsible alternative is a top priority, and by exercising due diligence we can create a stable transition to an open healthcare marketplace that provides far greater choice and more affordable plans for the American people.”