Republicans devoted their weekly address to Obamacare, but offered few details about how they intend to replace the healthcare law.
Sen. John Barrasso, who delivered the speech, said Congress will do everything it can to “reverse the damage done by Obamacare” as “smoothly as possible.”
“It won’t be easy, and it’s going to take some time,” the Wyoming Republican said. “But step by step, we’re going to put patients back in charge, bring down the cost for families, and make sure that having health insurance actually means something this time.”
Barrasso said whatever Republicans replace the law with will include more use of tax-free Health Savings Accounts and the ability to purchase insurance across state lines. He said it will also retain the law’s requirement on insurers to cover patients with pre-existing conditions.
But Barrasso didn’t mention one of biggest sticking points over an Obamacare replacement — how to replace its subsidies for low and middle-income Americans. House Speaker Paul Ryan has proposed refundable tax credits, but some House conservatives may object to that idea.
Despite the challenges of agreeing on a replacement, Republicans appear determined to pass legislation soon next year repealing the Affordable Care Act. They’ve insisted the election results — which handed them the White House and continued control of Congress — was a message from voters to ditch President Obama’s healthcare law.
“No amount of tinkering or taxpayer bailouts is going to make Obamacare work. It needs to be replaced and repealed,” Barrasso said. “Repeal is only the first step — it clears the path for a replacement that costs less and works better than what we have now.”
