Republican Health Care Plan Isn't Done Yet, But It's Taking A Break

The White House was hoping to have a healthcare plan ready to vote on before Congress left for a two week Easter break starting Thursday afternoon, but it’s not happening. The two ideological ends of the political spectrum within the House GOP, represented by the moderate Tuesday Group and the conservative Freedom Caucus, have not been able to come together. It’s questionable whether a two week break will change the reality of the divides in the party, but leaders on both sides continue to show up for negotiations and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) informed members that they may be recalled early from their vacation if a deal is reached.

Considering they’ve campaigned on repealing the Affordable Care Act (commonly known as Obamacare) since 2010, they can’t afford to give up the fight politically. Leaders are hoping that returning to their districts and having to meet with voters who elected them, in part, on those promises will remind them what’s at stake. Rep. Patrick T. McHenry (R-NC), said the recess could be a "cooling-off period" during which holdouts could “listen to their constituents and justify their position on this bill.”

"You need people to stop, take a deep breath and think through the way to yes," McHenry said. “Right now, the offerings have diminished votes, not increased them.”

The offerings have focused primarily on two issues that concern many Republicans: essential benefits that mandate the conditions that all insurers have to cover such as maternity care and mental health coverage, and insurers not being able to charge more based on age or state of health, the so-called community rating requirement. The Freedom Caucus members maintain that inflexibility on both points is driving up the cost of insurance for everyone.

The idea of states being able to apply for waivers for these rules as long as they can prove they’re bringing down the cost of care has been central to White House plans floated in negotiation this week, but moderate Republicans fear the waivers will go too far and put folks with pre-existing conditions at risk of being priced out of the market.

The GOP cannot advance any health care plan without support from both wings of the party. It’s not just good politics; it’s also basic math.

When Congress returns they will have to prioritize budget discussions in anticipation of a potential government shutdown on April 28th. They’ll also have to consider a debt ceiling increase and the GOP would like to tackle tax reform. Unless GOP leaders come up with some unforeseen compromise ideas over the Easter recess, healthcare may not stay at the top of the priority list. Or at least not the list of things that can be done.

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— Asha Sanaker

(Photo Credit: Architect of the Capitol / Public Domain)