Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will reportedly release the newest version of the Senate healthcare bill, the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA), on Thursday.
McConnell previously delayed the Senate healthcare bill to allow more time for Senate Republicans to hash out their differences. Now McConnell might release the newest version of the BCRA on Thursday, with the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) analysis to come early next week.
Reports coming out say that the BCRA’s changes to Medicaid will likely remain the same. The BCRA will phase out Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion over seven years and cut the growth in Medicaid with per capita caps and allow states the option to block grant Medicaid. Moderate Republican senators such as Rob Portman (R-OH), Dean Heller (R-NV), and Susan Collins (R-ME) oppose the cuts to Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion, although it remains unclear what changes Senate leadership would have to make to have them vote for the BCRA.
The Senate leadership remains secretive over whether they will add Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-TX) consumer choice amendment. The Cruz amendment would allow Americans the option to choose more affordable healthcare plans that do not comply with Obamacare regulations as long as they also offer plans that do conform with those regulations. McConnell sent two versions to the CBO, one with the Cruz amendment and one without to gauge the provision’s effects on premiums and healthcare coverage.
The Senate will likely include a provision that would allow Americans to use Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) to pay for premiums. Senate aides previously reported that rule would cost around $60 billion in lost revenue, as the federal government does not tax HSAs.
The Senate leadership will reportedly hold a vote on the bill later next week after the CBO releases their analysis of the new bill.