On the day the new Congress was sworn in, U.S. Sen. Michael Enzi, R-Wyoming, introduced legislation which can begin the repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
As Vox explains, Enzi’s budget resolution would allow Republicans to strip parts of the law which deal with government spending and revenues—like the individual and employer penalties for not buying or offering health insurance—with no Democratic votes, as the minority party wouldn’t be able to block a vote with a filibuster in the Senate.
Using the reconciliation process could have serious consequences, according to the Urban Institute. It estimated uncompensated care costs could rise by $1.1 trillion, mostly thanks to nearly 30 million people losing health coverage.
The process could move fast, with votes on the budget resolutions possible as early as the week of Jan. 9.
For more on how the process would work and what roadblocks may temporarily save the ACA, click on the link below:
John joined TriMed in 2016, focusing on healthcare policy and regulation. After graduating from Columbia College Chicago, he worked at FM News Chicago and Rivet News Radio, and worked on the state government and politics beat for the Illinois Radio Network. Outside of work, you may find him adding to his never-ending graphic novel collection.