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After the American Health Care Act (AHCA) narrowly passed the House of Representatives on May 4, the reaction along both party lines centered around whether or not Trumpcare will pass a Senate vote.
The general consensus is that it might, but not without some major changes first.
In order for Trumpcare to pass the Senate, a total of 51 favorable votes would be needed. Republicans hold 52 Senate seats, and no Democrats are expected to vote in favor of the bill. That means the Republican party cannot afford to lose more than one voter. Is it a possibility that Trumpcare will not pass?
First, consider the fact that 20 Republicans voted against the bill during the House vote. Next, consider the criticism of the bill expressed by some of the GOP senators that will be voting on it. That group includes Rand Paul (KY), Ted Cruz (TX), Mike Lee (UT), Susan Collins (ME), Bill Cassidy (LA), Dean Heller (NV), Rob Portman (OH), Cory Gardner (CO), Lisa Murkowski (AK), Shelley Moore Capito (WV) and Tom Cotton (AR).
However, the Senate isn’t likely to vote on the bill as it stands. A panel of Republican senators has been tasked with drafting the Senate’s own version of the bill. The Senate version of the bill is expected to include at least some parts of Trumpcare, along with parts of Obamacare and possibly some brand new additional changes.
Some of the provisions of Trumpcare that have garnered unfavorable reviews on the Senate floor include a potential increase of some 24 million uninsured Americans, cuts to Medicaid funding and rollbacks of pre-existing condition protections and essential health benefits. For the GOP, Trumpcare is just one battle in the war of politics, and Republicans are forced to tread carefully on this measure in advance of the 2018 Senate races.
There is no deadline in place for a Senate vote and no word as of yet for when the Senate’s version of a health care bill will be finalized and ready for proposal.
Christian Worstell is a licensed insurance agent and a Senior Staff Writer for MedicareSupplement.com. He is passionate about helping people navigate the complexities of Medicare and understand their coverage options.
His work has been featured in outlets such as Vox, MSN, and The Washington Post, and he is a frequent contributor to health care and finance blogs.
Christian is a graduate of Shippensburg University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He currently lives in Raleigh, NC.
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