Republicans aim for an ObamaCare replacement vote this month

The House could vote to repeal and replace ObamaCare before the end of the month, Politico reports. A person who attended a closed-door meeting with Speaker Paul Ryan on Thursday revealed that Ryan hopes to have the House vote on the replacement plan in three weeks.

It isn't clear if the White House has backed Ryan's bill. "There have been stories in the media that somehow the White House and Ryan's office are in agreement on health care," said Freedom Caucus member Rep. Raul Labrador (R-Idaho). "We have not yet heard that [President Trump] backed it or he doesn't."

But even many Republicans are skeptical about ambitions to repeal and replace ObamaCare. Last week, former Republican House Speaker John Boehner claimed that a full repeal and replace of the Affordable Care Act is "not going to happen," calling the suggestion that it might just "happy talk." "Republicans never agree on health care," Boehner said.

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On Thursday, Sen. Rand Paul wondered "what is the House leadership trying to hide?" following reports that a bill was drafted and hidden away. "My guess is, they are trying to hide their 'ObamaCare Lite' approach," Paul said.