Congressional Republicans Make Last Push to Repeal Obamacare

Republican senators are making one last push to overhaul Obamacare days before an end-of-September deadline, but it is not clear whether they have the votes to pass a bill.

Senate leaders have asked the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office to produce an expedited analysis of a health care bill from Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Bill Cassidy, R-La. The CBO announced Monday afternoon that it would provide a “preliminary assessment” of the bill by early next week. The CBO is tasked with reviewing whether legislation will add to the deficit; the Senate must have an analysis from CBO in hand in order to bring the legislation up for a vote.

The Graham-Cassidy bill would keep much of the Obamacare tax structure in place, but it would give the money back to the states in the form of block grants so they can design their own health care systems. The bill would end the Obamacare expansion of Medicaid eligibility in 2020 and replace it with per capita block grants to states to address the needs of low income residents.

President Trump has indicated support for the Graham-Cassidy bill, saying that “inaction is not an option.”

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., did tweet some positive words about Graham-Cassidy on Friday.