CHICAGO (CBS) — Democratic Congressman Mike Quigley said Congressional Republicans have been at war with themselves over the replacement for the Affordable Care Act and the only real solution seems to be to stop trying to satisfy the GOP’s far right wing.

The Republican’s Freedom Caucus has demanded elimination of Obamacare’s standards for what health plans must cover, among other changes. That has soured some GOP moderates on the repeal legislation. WBBM Political Editor Craig Dellimore reports.

In the end, there were simply not enough Republican votes to approve the bill.

Even before the vote, Illinois Congressman Michael Quigley has said all along that even Democrats believe the Affordable Care Act should be changed, so this standoff could be resolved. He said the Republican lawsmakers could have made needed changes that are acceptable to Democrats, and they would not have to worry about votes from the most conservative members He says there would be enough votes “in the middle.”

“Obviously the people on the exchanges need more choices,” Quigley said. “And we can provide these choices by altering how we assess risk, modifying subsidies, increasing tax incentives. If they are willing to talk about that, they don’t have to worry about alienating the far right. They can have votes in the middle.”

Congressman Mike Quigley is the guest on our AT ISSUE program this weekend and you can hear more of his thoughts on a range of topics Sunday at 9:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m.</s>The majority of American voters, 56%, disapprove of the Republican health care plan to replace the Affordable Care Act, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday.

Only 17% of voters approve of the plan and 26% are undecided. The question — “There is a Republican health care plan to replace Obamacare, known as the American Health Care Act. Do you approve or disapprove of this Republican health care plan?” — did not go into specifics of the plan.

“Replacing Obamacare will come with a price for elected representatives who vote to scrap it, say many Americans, who clearly feel their health is in peril under the Republican alternative,” said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the poll.

Most voters, 61%, also disapprove of the way President Donald Trump is handling health care.

The President and Republican leaders are scrambling for a deal on landmark legislation to repeal and replace Obamacare. Republicans can’t lose more than 21 members of their party and still pass the bill, since no Democrats are expected to support it.

One out of every seven Americans — 14% — believes they will lose their health insurance under the Republicans’ replacement plan.

And the plan doesn’t enjoy majority support among Republicans, with only 41% backing the bill.

Nearly half of voters, or 46%, say they will be less likely to vote for their US senator or representative if he or she votes to replace Obamacare with the Republican health care plan.

Nearly one in five say they will be more likely to vote for their lawmaker if he or she supports the replacement plan. And 29% said they vote won’t matter.

Most men, 56%, disapprove of the plan as do most women, also 56%. While more than half of white voters disapprove of the plan, even more non-white voters — 64% — disapprove.

Overall, 58% of independent voters disapprove of the replacement plan.

Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,056 voters nationwide from March 16 to 21. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points. Live interviewers called landlines and cell phones.</s>The American Health Care Act, the measure intended to replace Obamacare, has been the target of criticism aplenty since its introduction, in part because of predictions that it would disproportionately hurt the poor and elderly in Denver and beyond. This reception, not to mention President Donald Trump's threat to unseat any Republican who votes against the bill, has put GOP members of Congress in a difficult position, and those from Colorado have reacted with varying degrees of support and obfuscation.

On Facebook, Representative Mike Coffman posted the photo at the top of this post showing him reading the measure along with a link to a House GOP page that states, "JOIN THE FIGHT: The American Health Care Act is a historic step towards making America great again. But we need your help to get it over the finish line." Also highlighted is the hashtag #passthebill.

During a subsequent radio interview with Craig Silverman, Coffman said he was leaning toward voting for the AHCA in its current form. But following a Congressional Budget Office report that estimated 24 million people would lose their insurance by 2024 under the legislation, his office put out a more cautious statement: "Rep. Coffman is reviewing the CBO analysis to see what areas of the American Health Care Act need adjustments before a final bill is enacted. But he is encouraged that the bill leaves in place the consumer protections, such as preexisting conditions and allowing dependents to remain on their parents' plan until age 26, and he believes the AHCA will face major changes before it's signed into law."

Representative Ken Buck struck a similar note in a Facebook post that slaps Obamacare but implies that the ACHA's language needs some adjustment. The item reads: "With Obamacare plan sign-ups down from last year, insurers pulling out of the market, and prices soaring for many people in the Fourth Congressional District, our job of replacing Obamacare with something better is more pressing than ever. I'm fighting to ensure the final replacement plan makes coverage more affordable and accessible."

Another longtime Obamacare critic, Representative Scott Tipton, has also resisted the temptation to simply endorse the ACHA as originally written, saying that he's "pro-repeal of the ACA [the Affordable Care Act, Obamacare's formal name], but that doesn’t mean I’m going to vote for just any replacement bill.”

For an update on these positions, we reached out yesterday, March 22, to spokespersons for Coffman, Buck and Tipton — and at this writing, reps representing Buck and Tipton have gotten back to us.

Buck spokesperson Kyle Huwa's response, delivered via e-mail, is brief and to the point: "Congressman Buck is still weighing all options on the bill."

Tipton spokesperson Liz Payne offers more details. According to her, Tipton "has not come out with a position yet" on the American Health Care Act. She adds that "he had some concerns about the bill in its original form. I know one piece he was concerned about was seniors who may not yet be eligible for Medicare but don't qualify for Medicaid and don't have insurance through an employer. He wants to make sure those people have access to health care, and on Monday, a change was made in the bill to create a fund to help states provide assistance to that category of seniors. But right now, he and his team are still reviewing the changes to see if they fully address the problems he had with the bill through the whole repeal-and-replace process."

If Tipton, Buck and Coffman join the Republican majority in offering a thumbs-up for the ACHA, which is expected to hit the House floor today, March 23, the measure would next head to the U.S. Senate, where Colorado Senator Cory Gardner will have to choose which direction to go in the wake of mixed signals he's sent on the subject.

Along with three other Republican senators (Ohio's Rob Portman, West Virginia's Shelley Moore Capito and Arkansas' Lisa Murkowski), Gardner signed a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that suggests the ACHA's approach to Medicaid leaves a lot to be desired.

As you know, Medicaid covers more than 72 million Americans and is the core of the health care safety net for individuals across the country. The Affordable Care Act destabilized the private insurance market and created an unsustainable path for both the states and the federal government in Medicaid. While we support efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act and make structural reforms to the Medicaid program, we are concerned that the February 10th draft proposal from the House of Representatives does not provide stability and certainty for individuals and families in Medicaid expansion programs or the necessary flexibility for states. We are concerned that any poorly implemented or poorly timed change in the current funding structure in Medicaid could result in a reduction in access to life-saving health care services. The Medicaid population includes a wide range of beneficiaries, many of which cycle on and off Medicaid due to frequent changes in income, family situations, and living environments. The Department of Health and Human Services reports that nearly one-third of individuals covered under the Medicaid expansion have a mental health or substance use disorder. As the largest payer of mental health and substance use services in the United States, it is critical that any health care replacement provide states with a stable transition period and the opportunity to gradually phase-in their populations to any new Medicaid financing structure. We believe Medicaid needs to be reformed, but reform should not come at the cost of disruption in access to health care for our country’s most vulnerable and sickest individuals. Any changes made to how Medicaid is financed through the state and federal governments should be coupled with significant new flexibility so they can efficiently and effectively manage their Medicaid programs to best meet their own needs. We also believe a gradual transition is needed to ensure states have the time to successfully implement these new changes. The Affordable Care Act is not working for states or the federal government and must be repealed and replaced with a plan that reforms Medicaid and protects individuals and their families over the long term. However, the February 10th draft proposal from the House does not meet the test of stability for individuals currently enrolled in the program and we will not support a plan that does not include stability for Medicaid expansion populations or flexibility for states.

In a more recent Facebook post, however, Gardner framed a meeting with representatives from the Colorado Hospital Association in the context of evil Obamacare, not the AHCA's weaknesses.

"Obamacare’s failures hit our rural Colorado communities hard, with premiums rising by more than 25 percent on some parts of the Western Slope," reads the text accompanying the second photo seen here. "I’m glad I got the chance to sit down today and partake in a rural healthcare roundtable with the Colorado Hospital Association to discuss how we can provide access to affordable health insurance to our rural communities."

On March 22, we also contacted Gardner's office to see if he's firmed up his stance on the ACHA. Thus far, radio silence.</s>Rep. Donovan: GOP Health Bill Does Not Solve Problems Of Affordable Care Act

NPR's Audie Cornish speaks with Republican Rep. Dan Donovan who says he plans to vote against the GOP health care bill.</s>Claims about SNF funding, Medicaid among 'glaring errors' found in lawmakers' letters on ACA, replacement plan

Some lawmakers have included errors and inaccuracies about the Affordable Care Act and its potential replacement in correspondences with their constituents, according to a new report from ProPublica.

The “fact check” of politicians' letters and emails was spurred by people “flooding their representatives with notes of support or concern” over whether to repeal the Affordable Care Act, ProPublica wrote. The report was co-published with Kaiser Health News, Stat and Vox.

The resulting analysis of letters and emails penned by 51 senators and 134 House representatives turned up several “glaring errors and omissions,” the report's authors wrote.

Among them is a statistic that “60% of Medicaid goes to long-term care” quoted by Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA). That amount is closer to 25%; however Medicaid does cover more than 60% of all skilled nursing residents, ProPublica reported.

Eshoo's office responded to the report's authors to clarify that the statistic was based on dual eligibles, for whom Medicaid covers 62% of long-term supports and services.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) was put on the spot in the report for telling constituents that the GOP's American Health Care Act “slashes Medicaid benefits for nursing home care.” While the legislation does include proposed Medicaid cuts, it does not expressly state that the cuts would take funding from skilled nursing providers.

However, a spokesman for Wyden responded to ProPublica, saying that “cuts to Medicaid would force states to nickel and dime nursing homes, restricting access to care for older Americans and making it a benefit in name only.”

“It's not clear if this is intentional or if the lawmakers and their staffs don't understand the current law or the proposals to alter it,” the report reads. “Either way, the issue of what is wrong — and right — about the current system has become critical as the House prepares to vote on the GOP's replacement bill Thursday.”

As of production deadline, media reports indicated that the GOP's healthcare bill would come up short of the votes needed to clear the House.</s>Rep. Donovan: GOP Health Bill Does Not Solve Problems Of Affordable Care Act

NPR's Audie Cornish speaks with Republican Rep. Dan Donovan who says he plans to vote against the GOP health care bill.</s>WASHINGTON — Former President Barack Obama marked the anniversary of the Affordable Care Act with a robust defense of the law Republicans sought to begin repealing Thursday. In a lengthy written statement, Obama made no explicit mention of the action pending in the House. But he clearly contrasted the grueling process that ended with his signing…</s>A group concerned with Republican dismantling of the Affordable Care Act rallied Thursday morning at a Parkersburg field office for Congressman David McKinley. About 18 West Virginia residents associated with Wood County Indivisible held signs and spoke with Robert Villers, a Parkersburg field representative for the Republican congressman.

Start the conversation, or Read more at The Review.</s>Obama: 'America Is Stronger Because Of The Affordable Care Act'

Former President Obama took a victory lap Thursday on seventh anniversary of his signature health care law even as Republicans had planned to formally begin the process of gutting it in celebration.

But now, it's the GOP replacement plan that remains on life support. Republicans postponed a planned evening vote in the House, denying them a symbolic chance to make good on their years-long promise to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.

Obama ticked off the law's successes in a statement released Thursday morning: 20 million more people insured, preexisting conditions covered, young people staying on their parents' plans until 26, lowered costs for women's health care and free preventive care. And while he acknowledged the law could get better, he charged that Republicans' plan would be moving backward. He said:

"So the reality is clear: America is stronger because of the Affordable Care Act. There will always be work to do to reduce costs, stabilize markets, improve quality, and help the millions of Americans who remain uninsured in states that have so far refused to expand Medicaid. "I've always said we should build on this law, just as Americans of both parties worked to improve Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid over the years. So if Republicans are serious about lowering costs while expanding coverage to those who need it, and if they're prepared to work with Democrats and objective evaluators in finding solutions that accomplish those goals — that's something we all should welcome. But we should start from the baseline that any changes will make our health care system better, not worse for hardworking Americans. That should always be our priority. "The Affordable Care Act is law only because millions of Americans mobilized, and organized, and decided that this fight was about more than health care — it was about the character of our country. It was about whether the wealthiest nation on Earth would make sure that neither illness nor twist of fate would rob us of everything we've worked so hard to build. It was about whether we look out for one another, as neighbors, and fellow citizens, who care about each other's success. This fight is still about all that today. And Americans who love their country still have the power to change it."

At the daily White House briefing, press secretary Sean Spicer jabbed that the former president's lengthy statement came because he was "feeling time is up" for the law.

Spicer insisted this would be the last anniversary Obamacare was celebrated.

"President Obama attempted to move the goalposts on costs, downplaying the skyrocketing premiums, some in the case of over 100 percent in some places, and unaffordable deductibles," Spicer said.

He said the Affordable Care Act was in a "death spiral."

But his comments came just before Republicans postponed the vote in the House for their alternative, as they were still unable to muster a majority to pass the GOP plan.</s>President Barack Obama signs the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in the East Room of the White House in Washington seven years ago. (Photo: J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

Former President Barack Obama released a statement on the seventh anniversary of having signed the Affordable Care Act (ACA) into law — providing an impassioned defense of his landmark health care bill as it’s under fierce attack.

The statement from the Office of Barack and Michelle Obama was sent out Thursday morning, ahead of an expected House Republicans vote on the American Health Care Act (AHCA), which would essentially repeal and replace the 2010 law commonly known as Obamacare. The vote ended up being postponed to an unspecified later date.

“The Affordable Care Act is law only because millions of Americans mobilized, and organized, and decided that this fight was about more than health care — it was about the character of our country,” the former president said. “It was about whether the wealthiest nation on Earth would make sure that neither illness nor twist of fate would rob us of everything we’ve worked so hard to build. It was about whether we look out for one another, as neighbors, and fellow citizens, who care about each other’s success. This fight is still about all that today. And Americans who love their country still have the power to change it.”

Obama said that when he took office, millions of Americans were locked out of the U.S. health care system and that he had taken up the cause of reform as many past presidents had. He said that after a century of debate, the U.S. had finally declared with the ACA that health care should be a right for all — not a privilege for a few.

He touted some of the ACA’s record, though Democrats and Republicans disagree about how extensive its accomplishments go. The law expanded coverage to about 20 million more Americans by setting up state exchanges, where people could buy insurance with subsidies based on their income, and by giving states federal money to expand Medicaid to more of their populations. State exchanges have not attracted as many people as Democrats originally predicted, and some plans come with high deductibles that stick people with a big bill for care. Democrats argue that these problems could be fixed with a few tweaks, while Republicans have put forward their plan to gut and replace the subsidy system with an age-based tax credit.

Many high-ranking Republicans, including House Speaker Paul Ryan and President Trump, have been opposed to Obamacare since the beginning. Trump reportedly warned Republican lawmakers that they could lose their seats if they do not pass the AHCA.

Among their many arguments is that the system is untenable and will wreak havoc on the entire health care market if left alone — a position Obama rejects outright.

“And reality continues to discredit the false claim that this law is in a ‘death spiral,’ because while it’s true that some premiums have risen, the vast majority of Marketplace enrollees have experienced no average premium hike at all,” Obama said. “And so long as the law is properly administered, this market will remain stable.”

Obama also contested the Republican argument that the ACA is a “job killer” citing the “record-breaking streak of job growth” for U.S. businesses in the seven years since it was signed into law. He said there will always be work to do to reduce costs, stabilize markets, improve quality and help the uninsured and that Americans of both parties should work toward lowering costs and expanding coverage.

He said that he’s always wanted Democrats and Republicans to build upon and improve the ACA, just as they have done for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

“So the reality is clear: America is stronger because of the Affordable Care Act,” Obama said.
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The replacement plan for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) is withdrawn after Republican leaders fail to gain enough support. The failure of the Trump administration to repeal the act means it will remain law in the United States.