A Cal State University Bakersfield political science professor said on “The Richard Beene Show,” the the Republican-led move to replace Obamacare still faces a tough journey for complete approval in the U.S. Senate.
With a four-vote margin of victory, the Republican-led House of Representatives approved the first stage of repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, on Thursday. The legislative action was a big victory for House Republicans, led by Bakersfield’s Kevin McCarthy, who serves as House Majority Leader, and who predicted passage of the bill Wednesday night. Rep. David Valadao (R-Tulare), who many thought might join the opposition to the bill, ultimately voted yes along with the rest of the California Republican delegation to the House.
Dr. Jeanine Kraybill, making her regular Thursday appearance on “The Richard Beene Show,” said the bill faces some stiff opposition in the Senate, where it needs a simple majority. However, getting that simple majority may be a tough task for the Senate, especially when it comes to senators facing re-election in 2018.
“This is not the full repeal and replace,” said Kraybill, adding that the bill passed Thursday is a budgetary reconciliation work that only needs a simple Senate majority. “They only need 51 (votes). They only have 52 (votes).”
Kraybill said that several Republican Senators have expressed concern about the bill coming out of the House.
“I think the biggest thing is some of these pre-existing conditions,” Kraybill told host Richard Beene. “The language is still really vague.
“Under the ACA, we all know you couldn’t be denied, but the big thing is that you received a community rating and a regular community rating pool. So, you couldn’t be charged more.”
Kraybill said the issues with the bill where risk pools for those with pre-existing conditions would be covered is still one of the biggest questions with the legislation.
