A bipartisan group of 10 governors is urging Senate Republicans to reject a scaled-down repeal of ObamaCare.
In a letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), the governors write that the “skinny” repeal is “expected to accelerate health plans leaving the individual market, increase premiums, and result in fewer Americans having access to coverage.”
“Instead, we ask senators to work with governors on solutions to problems we can all agree on: fixing our unstable insurance markets,” the governors wrote.
“Improvements should be based on a set of guiding principles, which include controlling costs and stabilizing the market, that will positively impact the coverage and care of millions of Americans, including many who are dealing with mental illness, chronic health problems, and drug addiction.”
The governors also called for both Democrats and Republicans to work together on bipartisan improvements to the healthcare system, a theme that has appeared in past letters.
On Tuesday, Senate Republicans voted on a motion to begin debating ObamaCare repeal. The newest plan emerging is to pass a skinny repeal of ObamaCare, which hasn’t been hammered out but could likely gut at least the individual and employer mandates and medical device tax.
This would allow the Senate and the House to convene a conference on the bill, and then the product would be sent back to a vote in both chambers.