Republicans might be planning an ObamaCare trap for Democrats

Even if Congressional Republicans vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act first thing next year, there's a chance President Obama's signature healthcare law won't actually be going anywhere until 2020. Politico reported Thursday that Republicans are toying with the idea of installing a delayed effective date for the repeal to put a clear deadline on coming up with a replacement plan. "I think once it's repealed, you will have hopefully fewer people playing politics and [instead] coming together to try to find the best policy," House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) told Politico. He also noted that if there is "a date certain that something's going away … you know you have to have something done."
Politico noted this sort of strategy has been used by Congress before, pointing to the "'fiscal cliff' days, when Congress imposed simultaneous deadlines to raise the debt ceiling, extend expiring tax cuts, and fund the government with the intent of creating "irresistible political pressure." Taking this approach with Americans' access to healthcare, however, poses "significant risks," Politico said. Insurance companies could ignore the three-year delay and opt out of ObamaCare as soon as the vote happens, Democrats could refuse to budge — and there's always the chance that a replacement plan won't come to fruition by the time those three years are up.
To read the full story on how the GOP might go about repealing ObamaCare, head over to Politico.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Why has the Russian ruble performed so well this year?
Today's Big Question Despite economic malaise, Russia's currency is up 45% on the year
-
Israel 'pauses' Gaza military activity as aid outcry grows
Speed Read The World Health Organization said malnutrition has reached 'alarming levels' in Gaza
-
US and EU reach trade deal
Speed Read Trump's meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen resulted in a tariff agreement that will avert a transatlantic trade war
-
FCC greenlights $8B Paramount-Skydance merger
Speed Read The Federal Communications Commission will allow Paramount to merge with the Hollywood studio Skydance
-
Tesla reports plummeting profits
Speed Read The company may soon face more problems with the expiration of federal electric vehicle tax credits
-
Dollar faces historic slump as stocks hit new high
Speed Read While stocks have recovered post-Trump tariffs, the dollar has weakened more than 10% this year
-
Economists fear US inflation data less reliable
speed read The Labor Department is collecting less data for its consumer price index due to staffing shortages
-
Crypto firm Coinbase hacked, faces SEC scrutiny
Speed Read The Securities and Exchange Commission has also been investigating whether Coinbase misstated its user numbers in past disclosures
-
Starbucks baristas strike over dress code
speed read The new uniform 'puts the burden on baristas' to buy new clothes, said a Starbucks Workers United union delegate
-
Warren Buffet announces surprise retirement
speed read At the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, the billionaire investor named Vice Chairman Greg Abel his replacement
-
Trump calls Amazon's Bezos over tariff display
Speed Read The president was not happy with reports that Amazon would list the added cost from tariffs alongside product prices