Senator Graham said he could not support a “half-assed” plan that he called “politically” the “dumbest thing in history.”

July 27, 2017

“Senate leaders now hope they can convince a majority of senators to vote for a scaled-back bill that is being called a “skinny” repeal bill. This measure would reportedly rescind the ACA’s requirement that individuals have health insurance and that employers with 50 or more workers provide coverage for their employees. The bill also would

“It is clear that Mr. McConnell does not much care which of these proposals the Senate passes…. — he just wants to get a bill out of the Senate.” (A)

July 26, 2017

Maybe you’ve noticed that DOCTOR’S recent posts on TrumpCare are curatorial, not editorial. Only when congressional consideration is finished, and a bill is passed or not passed, will there be time to assess the impact. “The Senate voted Wednesday to defeat a bill that would have repealed Obamacare within two years without any immediate plan

“These are the moments legislatively when you get creative. We’re getting creative.” (B)

July 25, 2017

“With Vice President Mike Pence casting a tie-breaking vote, Republicans moved forward on health care reform Tuesday as the Senate successfully passed a key motion to proceed to debate on repealing and possibly replacing Obamacare. Momentum built over the course of the day as several previously skeptical members announced they would support Senate GOP leaders

Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-Texas) suggested….that he’d like to duel with female senators he blames for the Senate’s failure to repeal and replace ObamaCare (A)

July 24, 2017

“Congress gives more care and consideration to bills renaming post offices than it has to legislation with staggering consequences for the health care system.” (B) “After a strangely quiet weekend, this week Senate Republicans are scheduled to push through votes on a budget-reconciliation bill designed to repeal and/or replace Obamacare. There are at least

New York Daily News editorial: Senate Republican vote –“An embarrassment wrapped in cruelty wrapped in political disaster.” (E)

July 23, 2017

“I don’t know whether we’re proceeding to the House bill, a new version of the Senate bill, the old version of the Senate bill, the 2015 repeal-and-hope-that-we-come-up-with something-in-two-years bill. I truly don’t.” (Senator Collins) (A) “Deductibles could become so high under the GOP plan, the CBO said, that many low-income people might decide not

“….. the parliamentarian has taken an already very difficult process for enacting health care legislation in the Senate and made it nearly impossible….”

July 22, 2017

“The official rules keeper in the Senate Friday tossed a bucket of cold water on the Senate Republican health bill by advising that major parts of the bill cannot be passed with a simple majority, but rather would require 60 votes. Republicans hold only 52 seats in the Senate. Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough said that

“McConnell is still planning votes on health-care legislation next week. But many things have to go right for his strategy to succeed, and not all of them are within his control.”

July 21, 2017

As we head towards next week’s vote, you might take a look at an excellent New York Magazine analysis. Here Is Where Things Stand With the Senate Health-Care Bill , by Ed Kilgore, highlight and click on http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/07/where-things-stand-with-the-senate-health-care-bill.html Excerpts: “Getting Senate moderates to vote for a bill with a Medicaid per capita cap and the