Conservative firebrand Sen. Ted Cruz is spearheading an alternative to Obamacare in the GOP’s latest bid to show the Supreme Court it has a Plan B if the court eliminates subsidies for millions of Obamacare customers.
The bill filed by the Texas senator Tuesday would remove the healthcare law’s insurance mandate and allow residents in one state the option to purchase a health plan of their choice in any other state. It is co-sponsored by Sens. John Barrasso of Wyoming, Mike Crapo of Idaho and Marco Rubio of Florida, all Republicans.
Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., introduced companion legislation in the House, according to a release on the bill, called the Healthcare Choice Act.
The court will hear oral arguments Wednesday on King v. Burwell on whether or not the federal government has the authority to offer subsidies to residents in federal-run health exchanges.
High-profile Republicans have issued a slew of back-up plans on the eve of the oral arguments.
A group of lawmakers led by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., proposed offering people with slightly different tax credits the ability to buy health coverage if their existing credits are struck down by the Supreme Court.
On Monday, Barrasso and Sens. Orrin Hatch and Lamar Alexander proposed a short-term patch to keep the existing credits and then increase flexibility for states to set up their own exchanges.
