Republican Health Care Bill Vote Delayed, Again

The GOP is trying hard to inch closer to holding the vote for Obamacare repeal; however, the absence of Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) in the Senate in the coming week due to an eye surgery would yet again defer the Republican Party’s plan to overhaul the nation’s health care system.

A day after McCain underwent surgery in Phoenix, Arizona, for the removal of a blood clot from his left eye, according to multiple reports, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) issued a statement Saturday saying: “While John is recovering, the Senate will continue our work on legislative items and nominations, and will defer consideration of the Better Care Act.” McConnell earlier planned to hold the vote in the coming week.

Read: Senate Democrats Protest Republican Healthcare Act For Being Written 'In Secret'

In McCain’s absence, the Republican health care bill lacks the support to proceed. Amid resistance from the Democratic Party, the bill is also facing opposition from two Republican senators — Rand Paul (Kentucky) and Susan Collins (Maine) — who said they would not vote “’yes” to even proceed the bill.

All Democrats and independents have already voiced their opposition against the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA) unveiled by McConnell in June to repeal former President Barack Obama’s signature healthcare legislation. With GOP holding a 52-48 majority, every vote counts for the Republican Party to proceed the bill.

The Senate majority leader has been trying hard to push the bill and this is not the first time the vote has been deferred. He earlier tried to hold a vote before the Juy 4 recess; however, the logjam among the Senate leaders over the loss of health coverage for millions could not be resolved.

He has now insisted on delaying the August recess to resolve the deadlock over health care, defense and other legislations in a bid to ensure Congress could send more bills to President Donald Trump.

A draft of the legislation released June 22 said the BCRA would help stabilize the insurance markets, improve the affordability of insurance and strengthen Medicaid. However, critics have argued the legislation would cut the Medicaid by over $772 billion in the next 10 years, citing the findings by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. The BCRA would also adversely affect senior citizens and differently-abled people, among others, critics have said.

Apart from the Senate leaders, citizens have also been voicing concerns over repeal of Obamacare. A joint survey conducted by ABC News and Washington Post revealed Sunday that twice as many Americans (50 percent to 24 percent) preferred the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare over the GOP plans for replacing it.

Read: Republican Health Care Plan: Trumpcare Gives Wealthiest 1% A $31B Taxcut

In another poll conducted in May, 51 percent of the people surveyed said they wanted to keep the ACA. The survey conducted by Manmouth University Polling institute stated: “33% of people believed that their health care costs would go up under repeal-and-replace efforts, 20% thought costs would go down and 38% said they thought costs would stay the same."

Meanwhile, McCain, a three time survivor of melanoma, was said to be resting at his Arizona home after the surgery. The doctors at Mayo Clinic Hospital, where he underwent surgery, said the operation went well.