Republicans policy brief offers few new details on ACA replacement

House Speaker Paul Ryan promised a new plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act is coming after the Presidents Day recess in Congress, but there are still disagreements between House Republicans on several key points of their own legislation.

At a Feb. 16 meeting, Republicans offered many of the same suggestions as had been included in Ryan’s “Better Way” plan from last year, according to a policy brief distributed to lawmakers. Proposals include an unspecified transition period where customers currently receiving ACA subsidies would be able to use those tax credits on plans which are currently prohibited, like catastrophic coverage, and allowing greater use of health savings accounts.

Ryan said the bill would address concerns about rolling back the Medicaid expansion, which had been adopted by several Republican-controlled states. More conservative members want the expansion eliminated.

“We're going to have to find a solution that accommodates each of these two concerns,” Ryan said at a press conference after the meeting.

HHS Secretary Tom Price was present at part of the meeting, with the policy brief mentioning he and President Donald Trump have “an important role to play” in repealing ACA regulations through administrative actions. Price reportedly assured members that Trump “is all in” on repealing and replacing the law at the same time and discouraged internal battles over the plan.

“Let's not miss this opportunity,” Price said, according to POLITICO. “Let's go shoulder to shoulder, arm to arm.”

Divides still remain on other areas, with the new policy brief now leaving open areas which had been more spelled out in past plans. For example, making Medicaid into block grants is now one of several options for changing the program, alongside other moves like per capita allotments.

Trump himself said at a White House press conference that a plan should be coming in March.