Future of Health Care Legislation Taking Place Behind Closed Doors
By Admin | June 05, 2017
There are no plans for committee hearings to publicly vet a new health care bill currently being written to replace and repeal the Affordable Care Act. Thirteen GOP senators have been selected to meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays in closely guarded meetings at the U.S. Capitol.
"I am encouraged by what we are seeing in the Senate. We're seeing senators leading," said Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, one of the 13 Republicans involved in the private talks.
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., told reporters that one of his top goals was to lower premiums, but the plan is in the early stages, so goals haven’t been finalized yet.
The core group of 13 senators is all men, which female Republican senators say does not bother them.
"It doesn't bother me, the leaders have the right to choose whoever they wish," said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. "It doesn't mean that I'm not going to work on health care."
Collins, along with Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., has proposed a bill that would allow states to keep the ACA in place if desired, leaving in place the ACA's taxes and fees to have revenue streams to pay for their health care overhaul.
For more, read “Secret Republican Senate Talks are Shaping Health Care Legislation” from NPR.