House GOP Leaders Seek Repeal of ACA
The new Republican leadership of the House of Representatives are moving ahead on legislation (H.R. 2) to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (collectively known as the ACA). On January 7, the House approved a procedural motion to allow a vote on H.R. 2 and a companion measure, H.Res. 9, instructing relevant committees to report legislation replacing the “job-killing health care law” with provisions that achieve a number of objectives, including: removing excessive regulations and wasteful spending, decreasing health insurance premiums through increased competition and choice, medical liability system reform, increasing the number of insured Americans, increasing state flexibility to administer Medicaid, and encouraging personal responsibility for health care coverage and costs, among others. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that H.R. 2 would increase the deficit by approximately $230 billion over the 2012–2021 period, although supporters of the legislation dispute that figure.) While the “repeal and replace” measures are expected to pass the House, the President has said that he would not sign the repeal bill if it ever reached his desk, which is unlikely in light of Democratic control of the Senate.
