After more than 60 House-originated bills attacking the Affordable Care Act stalled before completing their congressional journey, President Obama will finally get the opportunity to veto one.
On Jan. 6, the House passed a budget reconciliation bill that would essentially gut Obamacare and defund Planned Parenthood for at least 1 year by a 240-181 vote, largely on party lines. One Democrat joined the Republicans in approving the bill, while three Republicans voted against the measure.
The Senate passed the same bill, H.R. 3762, in December. The legislation would repeal the individual and employer mandates and associated tax penalties; phase out Medicaid expansion; eliminate federal subsidies to help patients buy insurance on the federal exchange; repeal the “Cadillac tax” on high-value health insurance plans; repeal the medical device tax; and defund Planned Parenthood for 1 year and divert some of those funds to community health centers.
“This reconciliation bill would cause an estimated 22 million Americans … to lose their health care, would increase premiums by approximately 20%, would provide employers with much uncertainty, and worsen the outlook for deficits over the long term,” Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said during floor debate prior to the vote. “Only in the first 10-year window do you have a savings. The [Congressional Budget Office] says if you go to the second 10 years, this bill is a loser and exacerbates the deficit.”
Republicans continue to argue that the Affordable Care Act is anything but affordable.
“This bill will help undermine and get rid of the foundation of Obamacare which, I know as a physician, has accelerated the negative trends in health care, of which there are many,” said Rep. Charles Boustany Jr. (R-La.). “[It] is not the affordable, patient-centered health care that the American people deserve.”
In a statement, Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell said, “President Obama has clearly said he will veto this bill. As I travel the country, I consistently hear Americans say that they want Washington to build on the progress we have made to increase access to coverage, drive down the growth of health costs and improve the quality of care. Unfortunately, today’s partisan effort in the House of Representatives to repeal key parts of the ACA, along with its effective defunding of Planned Parenthood, does the opposite.”
