Even Republicans Realize ACA Repeal-Without-Replacement Will Harm Working Families
Republican leaders in Congress are racing to recklessly repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) as quickly as possible, regardless of how many Americans they will harm in the process. However, many Republicans in the Senate are publicly expressing deep concern over the rush to repeal the ACA without having a replacement plan ready and the GOP proposal to eliminate funding for Planned Parenthood in their ACA repeal legislation.
Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN): “I think what we need to focus on first is what would we replace it with and what are the steps that it would take to do that?”
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC): "Once you say that everybody should be covered, can't be denied coverage because they are sick – which most Americans would agree with that – you put yourself in a box. Insurance is about young people who are healthy buying insurance like you all to pay for me and him. If you don't have to buy insurance until you get sick, most people won't. That's where the mandate becomes important. Somebody's got to work through this problem. If we're going to accept the proposition that you can never be denied coverage because you've been sick, then somebody's got to create a system where people participate."
Senator Moore Capito (R-WV): "I'm from a state that has an expanded Medicaid population that I am very concerned about. I don't want to throw them off into the cold, and I don't think that's a strategy that I want to see. It's too many people. That's over 200,000 people in my state.
Senator Susan Collins (R-ME): “I’m a little concerned about the speed in which this is occurring.”
Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR): “I don’t think we can just repeal ObamaCare and say ‘we’re going to get the answer two years from now.’ Look, this is a very complicated problem. We haven’t coalesced around a solution for six years in part because it is so complicated. Kicking the can down the road for a year or two years is not going to make it any easier to solve.”
Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK): “Yes, I’d have concerns. I’ve long been a supporter of Planned Parenthood.”
Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA): “Cassidy pointed out that Trump in his post-election interview on 60 Minutes said that he thinks that bill should be repealed and replaced simultaneously. ‘I assume those are marching orders from the administration.’”
Senator Rand Paul (R-KY): “I just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and he fully supports my plan to replace Obamacare the same day we repeal it. The time to act is now.”
Senator Bob Corker (R-TN): "I think the president-elect’s position is the right position. During the campaign he said that repeal and replace should take place simultaneously. That to me is the prudent course of action.”