The argument for many, from both the left and right of the political spectrum, has been that just repealing Obamacare with no replacement ready to go would be a disaster.
As Republican lawmakers have promised a repeal is on the horizon, they have simultaneously scrambled to find a suitable replacement.
Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) may have something.
This week I'll unveil a replacement to Obamacare. As agreed w/ @realDonaldTrump, we must replace it w/ real market reforms. Details coming!
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 9, 2017
That should calm some quaking nerves.
Paul’s legislation comes as the Senate is expected to pave the way this week to repealing the healthcare law.
Paul is leading a small but growing number of GOP lawmakers concerned about repealing the Affordable Care Act without a replacement plan hashed out.
A full repeal of the law will require 50 votes from the Senate. It is highly unlikely that any Democrats will vote against it, so with 52 Republicans holding Senate seats, they can’t afford to have more than two senators oppose the move, if repeal is the goal.
While Senator Paul didn’t give any details at this time of what his replacement idea may be, he has previously offered his thoughts.
The Kentucky senator floated in an op-ed last week that the law should be replaced with “freedom.”
“The freedom to choose inexpensive insurance free of government dictates,” Paul wrote.
He also backed allowing unlimited savings in health savings accounts and buying insurance across state lines.
Given the alternative, a health savings account is not a bad idea.
Of all the plans that have been floated, there hasn’t been any one, particular plan that has seemed to pull a majority consensus from the GOP, but time is getting short, so somebody had better come up with something quick.
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