What Went Down On Health Care This Week

According to Vox’s Dylan Scott, Rand Paul plans to vote for “skinny repeal” but also says he doesn’t think an American Health Care Act– or Better Care Reconciliation Act-type bill would pass the Senate if it emerges out of a House-Senate conference. Paul himself could have a lot to say about that, given that he, Murkowski and Collins would be enough to sink a conference bill. Paul was one of nine Republican senators to vote against the BCRA last night. All of this is pretty screwy. Senate leadership is selling Republicans on “skinny repeal” not so much on its own terms, but as the only way to keep hope alive for another shot at an AHCA-type bill after the conference. But some members, like Paul, will vote for skinny repeal because they like it on the merits, seemingly hoping the conference will *not* yield an AHCA-type bill.