Three moderate House Republicans said they are planning to vote against the American Health Care Act, putting more pressure on House leadership to stem defections as about two dozen conservative members remain opposed.
Reps. David Young of Iowa, Dan Donovan of New York and Frank LoBiondo of New Jersey announced their opposition to the bill in separate statements Wednesday. The opposition follows an announcement that as many as 25 members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus oppose the bill that would repeal Obamacare.
The additional defections create new problems for House leadership, which can afford only 22 defections as Democrats are expected to unanimously oppose it.
Young said he couldn’t support the legislation “in its present form.” He didn’t elaborate on his specific sticking point, just saying that “we are just not there yet.”
LoBiondo, who has faced major protests in his district, said the current bill would harm people on Medicaid. The bill would end Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion in 2020 and give states the choice between per capita caps or a block grant for federal funding.
“Under the current proposal, many South Jersey residents would be left with financial hardship or without the coverage they now receive,” he said.
LoBiondo said he appreciated changes made to the bill aimed at enticing moderates such as himself, including a pledge to boost the tax credits to help senior citizens pay for insurance when the bill gets to the Senate.
However, LoBiondo concluded that the bill is “not as good as or better than what we currently have.”
Donovan said in an op-ed on Staten Island’s silive.com website that he was opposing the bill because of potential harm to hospitals in his district and because t it doesn’t include reforms such as combating drug pricing and letting insurers sell plans across state lines.
Ironically, Donovan was upset with a new proposal inserted into the bill specifically aimed at persuading New York moderate Republicans. The provision, which affects only New York state and derided by some as the “Buffalo Bribe,” would shift Medicaid costs from the counties to the state.
The provision aims to appeal to upstate moderates who are upset that counties have to contribute to Medicaid, which can affect spending in their localities.
But Donovan wasn’t pleased.
“The proposed amendment exempts New York City, putting an unfair and disproportionate burden on city residents to fund the entire state’s share of the Medicaid bill,” wrote Donovan, whose district includes Staten Island. “That’s wrong. I cannot support a deal that gives our district short shrift.”
The additional no votes came as most of the House Freedom Caucus, which has about 35 to 40 members, remains opposed to the bill despite meeting at the White House with President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence.
The caucus has said more than 25 members remain opposed to the package. Members told reporters that the White House promised changes to the bill once it gets to the Senate but not in the package expected to be voted on in the House Thursday.
