Washington • Just before he began the first hearing on the GOP health care bill, Sen. Orrin Hatch said it may be “virtually impossible” for the Senate to pass an Obamacare replacement this week with possibly four or more defections of GOP senators.
Hatch, a Utah Republican who says he is still undecided on whether he’ll support the latest Obamacare repeal effort, opened the Senate Finance Committee hearing Monday noting that he hoped to have a serious discussion of the legislation and less showboating by critics. It was the first hearing in the committee Hatch chairs on any of the GOP bills to change Obamacare.
“When we talk about health care policy, we’re not just talking about a theoretical concept or legislation that impacts a single isolated industry,” Hatch said. “This topic has a significant impact on the lives of every person in this country in ways that can make or break both their health and their livelihoods.”
Hatch has backed the other Republican attempts this year to jettison Obamacare’s mandate to individuals to buy insurance and change how the marketplace works. All such efforts failed to garner enough votes in the Senate to pass.
The latest bill — known as Graham-Cassidy after its sponsors, Sens. Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy — would eliminate Obamacare’s mandate that individuals buy insurance coverage, and give states block grants to set up their own system to insure their residents. The new systems could allow states to get waivers so that insurance carriers do not have to cover pre-existing conditions or essential health benefits like birth control.
Some states would gain more funding through 2026 under the plan, including Utah, while others, like California, would lose billions over the same time period.
Sen. Mike Lee of Utah is still deciding whether he’ll support the Graham-Cassidy bill, saying he wants more flexibility for states that the legislation currently doesn’t ensure.
“The block grants still come with too many federal regulations,” said Lee spokesman Conn Carroll.
Hatch recessed Monday’s hearing moments into the start after a cadre of protesters chanting, “No cuts for Medicaid. Save our liberty” disrupted the proceeding and Capitol Police removed and arrested several people.
“If you can’t be in order, get the heck out of here,” Hatch said as he reconvened the hearing.
Democrats were frustrated by the lack of hearings on the health care bill, which GOP leaders are still hoping to bring to a vote this week, despite opposition by Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Rand Paul of Kentucky, as well as possible “nay” votes by Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, said the legislation was a “nightmare” for tens of millions of Americans and made a “mockery” of President Donald Trump’s promise that health care would be available and affordable for all.
“Nobody has to buy a lemon just because it’s the last car on the lot,” Wyden said. “This health care bill is a lemon.”
Graham, a South Carolina Republican and one of the sponsors of the legislation, pushed back, saying the bill was “not the last chance; this is the best chance.”
“My goal is to get the money and power out of Washington, closer to where people live,” Graham said, noting that it would allow states to set up their own health care systems tailored to their residents instead of adopting a federally led dictate.
“If you want to go to single-payer health care in Oregon, you can do it — but you’re not going to drag me there with you,” Graham said.