House to vote on Obamacare repeal bill

The US House of Representatives will vote on Thursday on a Republican bill to repeal and replace Obamacare or the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the media reported.

The long-awaited announcement on Wednesday night has put to an end to a flurry of speculation about whether the Republican health care bill would come up on the House floor for a vote or collapse again like it did on March 24 when President Donald Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan pulled the bill from consideration, reports CNN.

Top Republicans are very confident. Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy emerged from Speaker Ryan's office all but triumphant.

"We will be voting on the health care votes tomorrow. Because we have enough votes. It'll pass. It's a good bill," McCarthy told the media.

White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus told CNN he is "optimistic" about the outcome.

According to the bill, Trump has committed to backing an amendment spending $8 billion over five years to fund high-risk pools and go toward patients with pre-existing conditions.

As originally introduced, the bill would leave 24 million fewer people insured by 2026 than under Obamacare, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office said.

The Republican health care bill would eliminate Obamacare taxes on the wealthy, insurers and others, and get rid of the individual mandate.

Instead of the Obamacare subsidies that are tied to income and premiums, the Republican plan would provide Americans with refundable tax credits based mainly on age to purchase health insurance, CNN reported.

The legislation would also allow insurers to charge higher premiums to those in their 50s and early 60s, compared to younger consumers.

It would also significantly curtail federal support for Medicaid and allow states to require able-bodied adults to work.

However, the move was slammed by top Democrat and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

"...tomorrow, House Republicans are going to tattoo this moral monstrosity to their foreheads, and the American people will hold them accountable."

--IANS

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