House Speaker Paul Ryan said he’ll “improve” and “refine” a plan to repeal and replace Obamacare, based on feedback from rank-and-file Republicans who don’t like the plan.
Ryan, R-Wis., addressed reporters following a meeting in the Capitol basement with House Republicans and Vice President Mike Pence, who tried to rally lawmakers around what he described as an historic opportunity to reform the nation’s health insurance system.
But the bill appears to lack enough support to pass in either the House or the Senate. In the House, the largest GOP faction of conservatives consider the GOP plan “Obamacare 2.0.” House moderates, meanwhile, say the measure would hurt the poor and low-income earners by reducing their access to health insurance coverage.
“We are getting feedback from various members about how we can improve this bill,” Ryan said after the meeting. “We can incorporate feedback to improve this bill, to refine this bill, and those conversations are happening with the White House, the House and the Senate.”
Refinement may not be enough for some House conservatives, who left the meeting with little optimism that they would ever find the proposal appealing enough to support.
“Not one iota,” Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., said, when asked if the Pence speech changed his mind. “It was kind of a rah rah speech. I don’t think he changed anybody’s mind. There was nothing new.”
Before the meeting, Pence met with another disgruntled group, GOP moderates, one floor above in his newly designated House office.
Moderates, the smallest House GOP faction, told Pence they feared their concerns about the bill – including higher prices for older Americans and less money for Medicaid – would be outweighed by the conservatives, many of whom are pushing for fully repealing Obamacare and ending all taxpayer subsidies for health insurance.
“He listened very carefully,” Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-N.J., said. “The vice president said they are working hard to try to find a way to make it better.”
Ryan meanwhile, is trying to bridge the two sides and cobble together the support needed to pass the bill in the House next week.
“Our plan is to find the sweet spot that gets us a big vote count, that gets us our passage, that gets all members happy,” Ryan said. “We all campaigned to repeal and replace Obamacare if you give us the change to do so. Well here’s that chance.”
The House Budget Committee will vote on the bill tomorrow.
Budget Committee Chairwoman Diane Black, R-Tenn., told reporters she is “confident” the bill will pass, even though several members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus are on the panel.
