“Skinny Repeal” Senate Failure

This week, over on the Election Central Web site, the main story describes the failed effort of the Senate’s “skinny repeal” health care plan.

The latest version of the Republican plan to repeal and replace the ACA (the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare) was nicknamed the “skinny repeal” bill. This version looked much the same as previous versions, with a few key differences. First, it took away the individual insurance mandate (the requirement under the ACA that everyone had to purchase health care insurance or face a fine). It also took away the employer mandate (the requirement that employers provide health care benefits for their employees). As a result, premiums for everyone were expected to rise as much as 20 percent over the next year. It was estimated that by 2026, 16 percent more Americans would be without coverage than today. However, the new bill would have left federal Medicaid funding alone.

To learn more about this story, click here to visit the Election Central Web site and read the full posting.