Conservatives back revised health bill, GOP moderates balk

Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pa., co-chairman of the Tuesday Group, said most of the moderates who opposed the original GOP bill were not privy to MacArthur’s negotiation and would vote “no” on his amendment.

A spokesperson for Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-N.J.) confirmed the exemption.

The plan was crafted by MacArthur along with Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., head of the House Freedom Caucus.

For example, try to remember exactly how many times the platitude that conservatives were ‘making the flawless the enemy of the good, ‘ was echoed by right-wing media pundits. “So this is simply a matter of blame-shifting and face-saving”, said Dent.

Some moderates who previously planned to vote yes on the initial bill – including Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida and Rep. Mike Coffman of Colorado – now say they are undecided.

GOP leaders also recognized the political blowback on the issue.

Rep. Mark Sanford, R-S.C., a Freedom Caucus member who anxious last month that the process was going too fast, would not rule out a vote if the legislation met his standard. The Congressional Budget Office projected that 24 million fewer people would be covered under an early version of the Republican bill, which did not include later changes to insurance reforms. “The individual health care system, if it collapses, it will hurt millions of people”. They also say high-risk pools have a history of being underfunded.

In an interview with reporters Wednesday, MacArthur defended his amendment.

The Freedom Caucus made public its support of the proposal in a statement Wednesday.

While the endorsement is a boost for the effort, some 50 moderate Republicans are still uncertain or oppose to the latest plan.

Babin told The Hill late last month that he was considering leaving the group amid frustration with fellow conservatives for withholding support for the legislation.

“I want our leadership to make the case”. But Freedom Caucus members said after earlier meetings that the White House had expressed it would be lenient in allowing states to use the waivers.

Pelosi is insisting that the cost-sharing payments be addressed in the legislation. He said that if the House measure survives, revised or not, it would be substantially rewritten in the Senate, where it faces broad opposition.

But negotiators rejected Trump’s demands for $1 billion to begin construction of his promised wall along the U.S. -Mexico border. There was no vote, and Republicans had to answer for their health care stance during raucous town halls.

Momentum is building for the plan despite the revelation that, under its current language, members of Congress would be all but guaranteed to maintain health benefits that other Americans stand to lose. Among the 10 categories of benefits are hospital and outpatient care; pregnancy, childbirth and newborn care; mental health and substance abuse treatment; prescription drugs; lab tests; kids’ vision and dental care, and rehabilitative care.

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The first incarnation of the AHCA died without a vote last month, with President Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan abruptly yanking it amid tepid support from the GOP-controlled Congress.

Ryan told reporters on Wednesday that a proposal that would allow states to get federal waivers to ignore certain coverage requirements, helps secure consensus.

The White House and House Republican are also hoping to show progress in their troubled effort to repeal and replace Obama’s health law. “We’ll vote on it when we get the votes”, he said.

“I still think there’s a lot of work to be done” before a vote can be held, said Rep. Steve Stivers, R-Ohio, part of the House GOP leadership.

The bill as reported will provide even less health care coverage than the GOP House bill that was pulled in March for lack of support. “The amendment now being considered would threaten basic health care benefits and important consumer protections”.