Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is still opposed to the Republican plan to reform federal healthcare policy, even after it was revamped late Sunday to entice GOP holdouts.
A spokesperson for Paul’s office confirmed Monday he is still a “no” after reviewing the latest version of a healthcare bill from Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Bill Cassidy, R-La. Paul has been a staunch opponent of the legislation, which senators say is their last chance to repeal Obamacare, because it leaves in far too much of the law’s taxes.
The legislation cuts Obamacare funding and gives it to states in the form of block grants. It also cuts Medicaid funding overall through a per capita system that gives states funding based on the number of Medicaid beneficiaries.
Paul has been angry that the bill leaves in 90 percent of the law’s taxes to fund the $1.2 trillion in block grants from 2020 to 2026. He said on NBC’s “Meet the Press Sunday” that he would only vote for it if the block grants were severely reduced.
“If Obamacare were truly repealed, this entire trillion dollars would not be spent,” according to statement from Paul’s office outlining his demands to get on board with Graham-Cassidy. “This is the primary obstacle to my support, and only a significant reassessment of this trillion-dollar spending regime would get my support.”
The bill’s sponsors decided to go with a different approach. The bill cuts back on funding to states that expanded Medicaid under Obamacare, and in the new version released Sunday, it would impose less drastic cuts on states that expanded Medicaid after 2015.
That’s being seen as a nod to Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who has been wary of signing onto the bill. Alaska expanded Medicaid in 2016.
Paul’s opposition continues to imperil the GOP’s effort to vote on the bill by the end of this week. The GOP has until Sept. 30 to pass the bill with only 51 votes via reconciliation, after which it would have to start the legislative process over again with a vote in the House.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is the only other Republican besides Paul to oppose the bill this time around.
Republicans can only afford to lose two senators out of its 52-48 majority since Vice President Pence can break a 50-50 tie.
Murkowski has been skeptical and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said over the weekend she is a likely “no.”
