简体中文
US Senate Republicans failed to overturn the healthcare
law known as Obamacare early on Friday, in a stinging blow to President
Donald Trump that effectively ended the Republican Party's seven-year
quest to repeal the 2010 Affordable Care Act.
Three Republicans crossed party lines to join Democrats in a 49-to-51 vote to kill the bill.
The US Capitol is seen prior to an all night round of health care votes on Capitol Hill, on July 27, 2017. /Reuters Photo
Senate
Republicans released their "skinny bill" that would repeal some of
Obamacare late on Thursday, just hours before they were expected to vote
on the legislation.
Many Republican lawmakers said
they did not want the eight-page bill to become law, and held off
supporting it until they received assurances from House of
Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan that members of both chambers could
set up a special committee that would craft new legislation.
Senate
Republican leaders said the bill was simply a way to keep the
seven-year promise to repeal and replace Obamacare alive, which was also
a top campaign promise from then Republican presidential candidate
Donald Trump.
The Senate failed to pass two major
bills earlier in the week that would have repealed or replaced the
healthcare law after spending months on both pieces of legislation.
The
Affordable Care Act, known informally as Obamacare, brought insurance
to 20 million previously uninsured Americans and was the signature
domestic achievement of former Democratic President Barack Obama.
Republicans said the law is too costly and represents undue government interference in healthcare.
Here's what's in the "skinny" repeal bill, formally called the Health Care Freedom Act:
The 'skinny' on the new bill's mandates
The
new bill repeals an Obamacare penalty on individuals who do not
purchase health insurance. It also repeals a penalty for eight years on
employers with more than 50 employees that do not provide health
insurance.
Medical device tax
The
legislation repeals a 2.3 percent excise tax on medical device sales,
until December 31, 2020. If it were to become law, this repeal would be
welcome news to manufacturers such as Medtronic Inc and Abbott
Laboratories Inc.
Planned Parenthood
The
Senate bill effectively defunds Planned Parenthood for one year by
prohibiting Medicaid, the government health insurance program for the
poor and disabled, from reimbursing the women's healthcare provider.
The majority of Planned Parenthood patients are on Medicaid.
Medicaid
Unlike
previous attempts to craft legislation to repeal or replace Obamacare,
the skinny bill does not end the law's Medicaid expansion or make
changes to the federal health program.
