ACA replacement—just not repeal—may find Democratic support

Repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) can be passed with only Republican votes soon after President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Replacing the law, however, can’t be done by one party.

As POLITICO reports, Senate Democrats who are up for re-election in 2018 and serve states where Trump won by large margins seem open to voting for an ACA replacement plan. Their support, however, hinges on the details like if the new proposal will maintain the ACA’s gains in insurance coverage.

“If they want to change things around the edges, fix some of the things we agree ought to be fixed and call it Trumpcare, that’s OK,” said Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, who caucuses with the Democrats and is up for re-election in 2018. “Let’s get people covered.”

Republicans privately told POLITICO they expect the replacement will end up keeping many components of the ACA, but those pieces will be broken up into separate bills. This strategy could make it more difficult for Democrats to say no to all of the reforms.

“If a bunch of Democrats want to vote against people being able to stay on their family insurance until age 26, they can do it. But I don’t think they’ll all do that,” said Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Missouri. “In bite-sized pieces, it will be harder to resist.”

For more on which Democrats may join Republicans in passing these replacement bills and which lawmakers are already vowing to oppose every effort, click on the link below: