The Congressional Budget Office staff must be working feverishly to “score” the proposed changes to the Affordable Care Act. Senators Graham and Cassidy, of course, what the Senate to vote on their bill before the scoring is finished and find out how many people it impacts later.
You see, the Senate Parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, ruled that a repeal or changes to the Affordable Care Act may only be passed in the Senate with a 50 + 1 vote [half the Senators and Vice-President Pence] during this federal budget year – which ends September 30th. After that it will again take 60 votes in the Senate to make changes.
I know, it is complicated.
Here is an overview of the legislation from Politico. It simplifies the biggest changes…
http://www.politico.com/interactives/2017/graham-cassidy-health-care-bill-what-you-need-to-know
Now, please note the intent of the bill to give back to the states more control over health care – not money to do that well, mostly control.
Our experiences with the Missouri legislature make that possibility very, very scary.
Submitted by Glenn Koenen, WCD Member