Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Repeal-And-Delay Proposal Fails In Senate, 45-55
The Associated Press: GOP Senators Blink On A Big Chance To Repeal 'Obamacare'
After seven years of emphatic campaign promises, Senate Republicans demonstrated Wednesday they don’t have the stomach to repeal “Obamacare” when it really counts, as the Senate voted 55-45 to reject legislation undoing major portions of Barack Obama’s law without replacing it. Seven Republicans joined all Democrats in rejecting an amendment by Rand Paul of Kentucky that would have repealed most of former President Obama’s health care law, with a two-year delay but no replacement. Congress passed nearly identical legislation in 2015 and sent it to Obama, who unsurprisingly vetoed it. (Werner and Fram, 7/26)
The Washington Post: Senate Rejects Measure To Repeal Much Of The Affordable Care Act
The Senate rejected a proposal Wednesday that would have repealed major parts of the Affordable Care Act and provided a two-year delay for lawmakers to develop a substitute, indicating that in the immediate future Republicans can only muster a majority for modest changes to the current law. (Snell, Eilperin and Sullivan, 7/26)
The Washington Post Vote Tracker: Which Health-Care Plans The Senate Is Voting On (And Who To Watch)
The Hill: Senate Rejects Repeal-Only ObamaCare Plan
A vote on the amendment, which was widely expected to fail, was originally scheduled for late Wednesday morning but was delayed as senators tried to get clarity on a provision tied to abortion. It was the second ObamaCare plan rejected after the Senate voted down a separate repeal-and-replace amendment on Tuesday night. (Carney, 7/26)
USA Today: Senate Health Care Bill: Clean Repeal Dead As GOP Plods Through Debate
The vote comes on the second day of a 20-hour Senate debate on health care as Republican leaders scramble to win enough votes from their own members to pass something to replace the Affordable Care Act. The Senate began its session Wednesday morning with about 17 hours left in the debate. (Kelly and Collins, 7/26)
Modern Healthcare: Senate Fails To Pass ACA Repeal And Delay Bill
An expected future repeal-and-replace proposal is what's been called a "skinny repeal"— ending the individual and employer mandates, but keeping most taxes in the Affordable Care Act and continuing premium subsidies and funding for the Medicaid expansion. (Lee, 7/26)
Reuters: Senate Rejects Obamacare Repeal Again, Eyes A 'Skinny' Bill
Any Senate legislation would be enough to kick the issue to a special negotiating committee with the House, which passed its own version in May. If that panel can agree on a new bill, the full House and Senate would again have to approve the legislation - a process that could last for months. (Cornwell and Abutaleb, 7/26)
