Republican Sens. Dean Heller of Nevada, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Rob Portman of Ohio, three key swing votes in the healthcare debate, said on Tuesday that they would vote “yes” on a motion that would debate a bill to repeal portions of Obamacare, increasing the likelihood that the bill will gain the 50 votes it needs to move forward.
Heller had previously been opposed to measures to repeal Obamacare, following concerns from his state’s Republican governor, Brian Sandoval, about planned federal cuts to Medicaid. Ohio’s Republican governor, John Kasich, also has come out strongly against repealing Obamacare, particularly because of concerns about Medicaid funding, and has urged Republicans to work with Democrats on a fix.
All three states expanded the Medicaid program to low-income people under Obamacare. “Obamacare isn’t the answer, but doing nothing to try to solve the problems it has created isn’t the answer either,” Heller said in a statement. “That is why I will vote to move forward and give us a chance to address the unworkable aspects of the law that have left many Nevadans, particularly those living in rural areas, with dwindling or no choices.”
Heller said he supported an amendment that would give states more funding to craft their own healthcare plans, as well as repealing the individual mandate that obligates people purchase health insurance or pay a fine. “If the final product isn’t improved for the state of Nevada, then I will not vote for it; if it is improved, I will support it,” he said. Capito, who had expressed concerns about how Medicaid cuts would affect treatment for people with opioid addictions, said in a statement that she would continue to make decisions that were in the interest of West Virginians.
“I remain committed to reforming our healthcare system while also addressing the concerns I have voiced for months. I will continue to push for policies that result in affordable healthcare coverage for West Virginians, including those who are in the Medicaid population and those struggling with drug addiction,” she said.
GOP leadership is expected to call for a vote at 2:15 p.m. on a procedural motion that would start as much as 20 hours of debate on the House-passed healthcare bill, the American Health Care Act. If that motion gets the 50 votes it needs, assuming a tie-breaking vote by Vice President Mike Pence, the House bill would be stripped out and a new bill would be swapped in.
Sen. Susan Collins of Maine has said that she will vote “no” on the motion to proceed if it includes a clean repeal of Obamacare and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, a key conservative, is undecided.
Republicans have vowed to undo the healthcare law for more than seven years. It is not clear what the details of the final product will be as Republicans offer amendments to the legislation, and changes to Medicaid may be stripped out.
President Trump, who has been amplifying pressure on Republicans in recent days to vote in favor of repealing Obamacare, is expected to speak in Youngstown, Ohio, Tuesday night.
