Paul Ryan says GOP health-care plan has to change in order to pass

Paul Ryan.
(Image credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) shifted his message on Wednesday, saying that in order to pass the House, the Republican health-care proposal must undergo some changes.

Ryan earlier said the legislation would fail if it was changed, but after a private GOP meeting with Vice President Mike Pence, he announced that Republican leaders will "incorporate feedback" from members. Earlier this week, a report by the Congressional Budget Office projected that under the GOP plan as it is written, 14 million fewer Americans would be insured after just one year and 24 million fewer would be insured over the next 10 years. "Now that we have our score ... we can make some necessary improvements and refinements to the bill," Ryan said.

Ryan did not elaborate on the changes that Republicans might be considering. To pass, the legislation needs 216 votes in the House, and it is headed to the House Budget Committee for approval on Thursday.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.