Senate Republicans will offer a health care plan for a vote Thursday alongside a Democratic proposal to extend expiring Obamacare subsidies, capping off days of furious behind-the-scenes debates.
The decision, described by three GOP senators granted anonymity to describe the decision ahead of a public announcement, is a U-turn from Monday morning, when GOP leadership was prepared to skip a vote on a Republican alternative to the Democrats’ proposal, which would continue the expiring subsidies for three years.
But that strategy sparked grumbling from various corners of the GOP conference, who believed they should put up their own plan to illustrate that their party has health care ideas, even if some Republican senators weren’t supportive. The matter was discussed at a closed-door GOP policy lunch Tuesday.
Senate Republicans ultimately agreed to vote on a proposal from Sens. Mike Crapo of Idaho and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who chair the Finance and HELP committees respectively. Their bill expanded health savings account and includes funding for Americans to spend on health expenses but does not extend the Obamacare subsidies.
That fits in with a rough framework supported by President Donald Trump, who declined to commit to extending the subsidies in a Monday interview with POLITICO. “I want to give the money to the people, not to the insurance companies,” he said.
Several Republicans left the lunch tight-lipped, deferring to Senate Majority Leader John Thune for a public announcement of the plan.
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