After Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) unveiled a draft of an Obamacare replacement plan on Wednesday, Burr acknowledged on Thursday that it will still take time for consensus to be met and an alternative might not pass until 2017.
Burr appeared on Fox News’ “Special Report with Bret Baier“ Thursday and said as far as progress for the repeal, “I think that there are going to be a lot of ideas not only in Congress but around the think tanks here in Washington and around the country.”
The case of King v. Burwell, which the Supreme Court will hear in March, could also be a big game changer for the party. The case could undo Obamacare subsidies in 34 states, which would then raise pressure for a response from Congress.
“We’re going to know a lot more after the Supreme Court hears the King v. Burwell case, and that’s going to be a short-term interim response,” Burr said. “The long-term is, how do we revamp this in 2017 and after so it works for America’s patients?”
The plan that Burr, Hatch and Upton have drafted would repeal Obamacare and instead provide tax credits to help those purchasing insurance. Affordable Care Act mandates would be out, but people with pre-existing conditions would still be able to be insured (as long as they have been continuously insured).
These guys aren’t the only Republicans putting together an alternative plan, though. As was announced last week by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Upton is also working with Rep. Paul Ryan (Wis.), Rep. John Kline (Minn.) on a plan that will also be charged with creating a “contingency plan” to prepare for the King v. Burwell decision.
[Photo from Flickr user ncsunewsdept]
