Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) has lead the fight against lukewarm attempts at an Obamacare repeal, and after the GOP submitted a bill that Paul labeled "Obamacare Lite," and as promised the Kentucky senator has introduced his own bill according to The Hill.
The bill itself is very similar to the same Obamacare repeal bill Republicans voted on unanimously in 2015. Paul argues that when it comes to repealing, the GOP is a unified front, but it's how to go about with the replacement that they are divided on. His plan is to keep the promise made to voters now, and then tackle replacement.
"[After repeal] we can have a separate vote on replacement legislation that will deliver lower costs, better care, and greater access to the American people," he said.
The bill is a much cleaner cut of Obamacare than the GOP's, which plans to replace as it repeals.
The bill includes a staggered repeal of ObamaCare taxes, including a repeal of the Medical Device Tax in 2018 and the Cadillac Tax in 2020.The legislation would also eliminate eligibility for ObamaCare's Medicaid expansion as of 2020 as well as the higher federal matching rate included in the Affordable Care Act.
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) has reportedly introduced the same legislation into the House, as both he and Paul said they would on Tuesday after stating that the GOP version of the bill "will not pass."
Turbulence is expected for Paul and Jordan's bill as moderate Republicans have said they will vote against bill's that threaten Medicaid expansion in their states. This has been a contentious issue for Paul in the past, as when initial meetings were occurring for the replacement bill, Paul walked out of a meeting in frustration for this very reason.
