What Went Down On Health Care This Week

At the moment, the most promising path to some sort of repeal and replace is through what’s being called a “skinny bill.” The idea is to pass a pared-down version of previous replacement bills, cutting some of the least popular aspects of the ACA, such as the individual mandate that requires most people to have insurance or pay a fine, while keeping the more popular aspects of the law, like its Medicaid expansion. The bill would also effectively repeal the requirement that most employers offer health insurance coverage to employers, as well as a tax on medical devices. (Impressive work from the medical lobbyists — Republicans have tried to cut all of the Obamacare taxes and faced opposition. The medical device tax is the lone survivor.) The “skinny” name might suggest narrow effects, but that’s not quite right, according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office. The CBO estimates that it would leave 15 million additional people without insurance and would raise premiums 20 percent on the private market. Many speculate that it would also lead insurers to flee the markets. It’s also not likely that passage of this version would be the end of the road for the bill. Republican senators have said they want to pass this measure in order to get to the next phase in the legislative process, negotiating with the House to find a broader replacement plan that can garner enough support from the moderate and conservative wings of the Republican Party and both chambers of Congress to make its way to Trump’s desk.