Almost immediately after Senate Republicans released a revised health-care bill Thursday, three members of the GOP came out as "no" votes. If the senators cannot be convinced to change their minds, the three nos will kill any chance Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has of passing the ObamaCare replacement, as Democrats are united in opposition.
"Still deep cuts to Medicaid in Senate bill," Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said. "Will vote no on [motion to proceed]." Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) also said he would vote no, having previously claimed that the "leadership has overreached on this bill." Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is also a no vote, a spokesperson said.
The new bill puts an additional $70 billion toward covering out-of-pocket costs and $45 billion toward battling the opioid epidemic; adds a provision that would allow people to use health savings accounts to pay their premiums; and enables insurers to provide lower-premium plans that provide less coverage as long as they offer at least one plan that follows ObamaCare standards. Cuts to Medicaid remain largely intact.
President Trump has threatened Republicans over the bill, claiming, "I am sitting in the Oval Office with a pen in hand, waiting for our senators to give it to me. It has to get passed. They have to do it. They have to get together and get it done."