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Republicans Reworking Healthcare after American Health Care Act is Pulled from Consideration

  • Amanda Casanova

    Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and…

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  • Updated Mar 29, 2017

While Republicans initially said there was no “plan B” for their proposal to replace Obamacare, they may actually have a second plan in mind.

A senior administration official told CNN that President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence spoke with some House members this weekend to discuss “a path forward.”

"I know we're going to make a deal on health care, that's such an easy one," Trump told a bipartisan group of senators and spouses at a White House reception Tuesday night.

Still, Trump will have to convince moderates who want more support for middle and low-income families, while also satisfying conservatives who want Obamacare fully repealed.

"At the end of the day, I don't know that the weekend did much to change anything. I think it was a missed opportunity. I think it was an unforced error," said Arkansas Republican Rep. Steve Womack.

For now, experts are saying that Republicans may have to admit defeat on fully repealing Obamacare— a policy goal that was promised and helped land Trump the White House victory.

"Opposition to government run health care has been a foundation of the Republican party for three or four generations now, so it is difficult to see House Republicans walk away from efforts to protect the American people from this awful law," said Michael Steel, former spokesman for ex-House Speaker John Boehner. "At the same time, after last week, it's difficult to see how the entire conference can find a unified position."

"I think the divisions that have existed for some time look and feel particularly acute now that we have a Republican President," Steel added.

 

Photo: President Donald Trump (C), House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) (L) and Vice President Mike Pence walk down the House east front steps after the annual Friends of Ireland luncheon at the Capitol March 16, 2017 in Washington, DC. Irish Taoisech Enda Kenny is in Washington to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

Photo courtesy: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Publication date: March 29, 2017