Members of the House Freedom Caucus expressed their support for Speaker Paul Ryan's (R., Wis.) Obamacare replacement bill after amendments were made to it, reversing their opposition to it weeks ago.
The American Health Care Act, which was introduced March 6, was pulled from a vote on March 24 because it could not get enough support from Freedom Caucus members who said the replacement did little to deliver on the Republican promise to fully repeal Obamacare. The measure also did not receive enough support from moderate Republican members of the Tuesday Group who said the legislation didn't cover enough individuals or provide large enough premium subsidies.
Rep. Andy Harris (R., Md.), a member of the Freedom Caucus, said Thursday on C-SPAN that the biggest changes to the bill are two mechanisms that will lower premiums.
"We have the Palmer Amendment which creates a high-risk pool model on the main high-risk pool and then the MacArthur Amendment, which allows the states some flexibility in terms of what to include in their health plans," Harris said. "What that will do is bring down the cost of premiums."
"States have to have coverage for people with preexisting conditions because if they opt to take it out of the minimum benefits, they have to have a high-risk pool," he said. "In Maryland, we had a very well-functioning high-risk pool with very affordable premiums."
Harris said he believes the current iteration of the health care bill will garner enough support to pass: "I think we've improved the bill. Our main concern, and I speak for the Freedom Caucus, is get the premiums down and I think we do it in the mechanism that has worked in other states. I think it's a go now."
The Freedom Caucus voted yesterday to support the American Health Care Act even though it does not fully repeal Obamacare.
"The MacArthur Amendment will grant states the ability to repeal cost-driving aspects of Obamacare left in place under the original AHCA," said Rep. Mark Meadows (R., N.C.), chairman of the Freedom Caucus. "While the revised version still does not fully repeal Obamacare, we are prepared to support it to keep our promise to the American people to lower health care costs."
Ryan said at his weekly press briefing Wednesday that the new measure would be voted on "when we have the votes" and that no decision on a scheduled vote has been made. He said Americans would be better off under the plan and expressed support for the MacArthur Amendment.