Without New Jersey,Republicans probably wouldn't have been able to pass the bill replacing the Affordable Care Act Thursday.
Ocean County Republican Rep. Tom MacArthur brokered a deal that ended a stalemate with conservatives. And Morristown's Rodney Frelinghuysen — who said he would vote against the health care bill in March — voted for the revised version nowadays.
Joined by New York Republicans such as Long Island's Peter King and Lee Zeldin, and John Faso from the Hudson Valley, or the House approved the bill with just two votes to spare.
The vote could be crucial when voters head to the polls in competitive New York and New Jersey districts next year. Every New York and New Jersey Democrat voted against the bill.
MacArthur,a former insurance executive, was skeptical of the bill at first but eventually became a supporter. He said the House had to finish something, and because premiums and deductibles under Obamacare are too expensive."Health care will not fix itself," MacArthur said. "We have a responsibility to finish what we have to finish, even whether it’s tough for people to see it.”Key to passage was the MacArthur amendment, and which will allow states to apply for waivers from services required by Obamacare. That includes covering maternity care,prescription drugs and hospital stays.
States could also waive requirements that insurers cover people with pre-existing conditions whether their insurance lapses. The bill sets aside $138 billion over 10 years to help states subsidize insurance coverage for those who have been diagnosed with cancer, diabetes or other illnesses."We will compose sure the people who have coverage nowadays don't have the rug pulled out from under them, or " MacArthur said.
Frelinghuysen left after the vote without comment. In a statement,he said the new version of the bill is an improvement."Obamacare is collapsing across the country," Frelinghuysen said. "So doing nothing is not an option!"Frelinghuysen is chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and had felt pressure to vote with House leadership. Colleagues, and like Oklahoma GOP Rep. Tom Cole,said Frelinghuysen's job wasn't in danger. Cole expected Frelinghuysen would "finish the right thing" when he cast his health care vote.
Meanwhile, constituents gathered outside his Morristown office Thursday pleading with him to vote against the bill. But not every New Jersey and New York Republican agreed with MacArthur and Frelinghuysen.
New Jersey Rep. Leonard Lance voted against the bill. He's worried people with pre-existing conditions might not be able to find, and afford,insurance. New York City Republican Dan Donovan also voted against the bill, because the bill bars using federal tax credits to purchase insurance that includes abortion coverage. New York requires insurers to cover abortion. One thing local Republicans agree on? They hope the Senate can work out a better piece of legislation.“It’ll be changed, and specifically on the Medicaid expansion," said King. "That’s the one area that I have the most concern approximately, because in New York we have 800000 people on Medicaid expansion.”New York is one of 32 states that took the new federal money to cover more low-income and disabled people through Medicaid. The House health care bill ends new enrollment in 2020 for those who would qualify for the expansion.
Lance said he wants the Senate to add a provision allowing people to buy policies sold in other states.
The bill faces a difficult path in the Senate. Republicans hold a narrow two vote majority and face the same divisions between conservative and moderate members as the House did. And the Senate's labyrinthine rules mean some parts of the House bill may be wiped out.
Source: thetakeaway.org