House Republicans still don't have the votes for their health-care bill
If House Republican leaders convince all roughly 22 uncommitted and undecided GOP lawmakers to support the current version of the American Health Care Act (AHCA), they could probably pass the bill before leaving for an 11-day break on Friday. As of Tuesday night, they don't have a vote scheduled. After days of personal lobbying by House Speaker Paul Ryan, President Trump, and Vice President Mike Pence, a few Republican holdouts have switched to yes, including Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.).
But GOP leaders have also suffered some defections, including Rep. Billy Long (R-Mo.) and, on Tuesday, Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), a former chairman of the committee that wrote several ObamaCare repeal bills and an influential GOP voice on health care. Upton, like Long and other mostly center-right holdouts, expressed concern about provisions in the current version of the AHCA that would potentially allow insurers in states that requested waivers to charge people with pre-existing conditions more for insurance, pricing some of them out of the market. On a radio show, Upton said the current bill "torpedoes" safeguards for people with pre-existing conditions, even as Ryan was trying to assure members it doesn't.
Ryan is working on a new amendment to ease concerns in his caucus about pre-existing conditions, and it could be released Wednesday, Politico reports; some House Republicans say they're hearing that one "tweak" would add billions more to high-risk pools run by states, essentially the actuarial version of quarantining people with large health-care bills like cancer patients and diabetics. Trump will also host opponents at the White House Wednesday, trying to flip enough no votes to schedule a House vote on Thursday.
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.
Still, "a sense of gloom settled over House Republicans on Tuesday" as the prospects for an AHCA vote before lawmakers return to face constituents receded, Politico says. "Even several GOP whips tasked with drumming up support for the bill said Monday night they have not yet made up their minds on whether to support the revised American Health Care Act." And on Monday night, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel made an emotional father's plea for protecting people with pre-existing conditions, like his infant son, Billy. As of Tuesday night, 6.5 million people had watched it on YouTube, including former President Barack Obama, who tweeted out his thanks and congratulations on the new addition to Kimmel's family. You can learn more in the CNN discussion below. Peter Weber
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Baltimore bridge disaster: Who is going to pay and how?
Today's Big Question Politicians, legal experts, and the insurance industry are all grappling with the financial fallout of America's worst infrastructure tragedy in years
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Melting polar ice is messing with global timekeeping
Speed Read Ice loss caused by climate change is slowing the Earth's rotation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Week contest: Stick guitar
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
Disney and DeSantis reach detente
Speed Read The Florida governor and Disney settle a yearslong litigation over control of the tourism district
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Visa and Mastercard agree to lower swipe fees
Speed Read The companies will cap the fees they charge businesses when customers use their credit cards
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Reddit IPO values social media site at $6.4 billion
Speed Read The company makes its public debut on the New York Stock Exchange
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Housing costs: the root of US economic malaise?
speed read Many voters are troubled by the housing affordability crisis
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Feds cap credit card late fees at $8
speed read The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule to save households an estimated $10 billion a year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Immigration helped the US economy outpace peers
speed read The U.S. economy grew at an annualized rate of 3.2% last quarter
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
4-day workweek gets boost from UK study
Speed Read Following a six-month trial, the majority of participating British companies are still using the truncated schedule
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US sues to block Kroger-Albertsons merger
Speed Read The Federal Trade Commission sued to block the $24.6 billion merger between the grocery giants
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published