Twitter Reacts After Senate Reveals Latest GOP Health Care Plan

Republicans unveiled a new plan Thursday to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, with a number of changes aimed at getting more Senators on board. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell needs to woo 50 senators to get the bill passed, something he failed to do with the original version of the replace/repeal bill released last month.

The new plan offers a number of revisions on the original aimed at pleasing conservatives who thought the first bill didn’t go far enough in repealing the ACA, and moderates who disliked the deep cuts to Medicaid.

The bill comes under the reconciliation legislative process which requires only 50 votes, as opposed to the customary 60. In the case of a tie, Vice President Mike Pence casts the tiebreaking vote.

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The new bill includes a provision introduced by Texas Sen. Ted Cruz that allows insurers who offer ACA plans, which are mandated to provide certain levels of basic coverage, to offer more stripped down policies. The new bill has more funding for opioid treatment but maintains significant cuts to Medicaid. The bill also keeps some of the taxes on the wealthy that helped pay for parts of the ACA, whereas the old Republican bill health care proposal stripped them all away.

Republican Sen. Rand Paul, according to CNN Thursday, said that he will oppose the bill. He was one of the most conservative critics of the first version of the bill. On the more moderate end of the GOP, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said that the Medicaid cuts were still too deep for her and that she would not support it.

Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, whose state West Virginia has been particularly ravaged by the opioid crisis and relies heavily on Medicaid, expressed “serious concerns about the Medicaid provisions,” according to the New York Times Thursday.

Republican Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski was upset by how the bill was rolled out, as many senators weren't able to see the bill before some lobbyists and reporters, according to CNN. The original version was also crafted in secret.

Others shared their sentiment on Twitter as well, with Sen. Kamala Harris writing, “The ‘new’ Republican health care bill is still a disaster.”

She continued, “And that’s sugarcoating it. As the GOP tries to twist arms to pass this disastrous bill, we must remain focused on defeating it. The new Republican health care bill still guts Medicaid and allows insurers to sell terrible plans.”

“One constant btwn all versions of #Trumpcare is painful truth that they will all gut coverage for addiction treatment & mental health care,” tweeted Rep. Joe Kennedy III‏. “To be clear: new #Trumpcare deems maternity care, mental health treatment and Rx drugs as essential for Congress but not rest of Americans.”

Sen. Dianne Feinstein also commented on the bill on Twitter, writing, “Those who know children’s health care the best are clear: This Senate health bill is terrible.”

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The 48 Senate Democrats and Independents have been unified in their opposition to the Republican plan. Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders didn’t mince words in a statement about the bill.

“The revised Republican 'healthcare' plan is an absolute disaster that will inflict severe economic pain on millions of Americans,” said Sanders.

McConnell on Tuesday announced he would delay the start of the Senate’s August recess by a week in order to work on the health care reform. The Kentucky senator walks a very tight rope with the bill, especially if Collins and Paul stay no votes.