The Atlantic

Why the Latest Obamacare Repeal Bill Might Have a Chance

The GOP is still missing the crucial 50th Senate vote for the Graham-Cassidy proposal. But a looming deadline is providing new momentum, and the legislation has advanced from no-shot to long-shot.
Source: Yuri Gripas / Reuters

Updated on September 18 at 4:02 p.m. ET

Two things can simultaneously be true about the latest, back-from-the-dead attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act. One, Republicans are very close to passing a proposal that would sharply curtail the law and result in millions fewer people having health insurance. And two, they are no closer than they were two months ago, when the party fell a single vote short of advancing legislation that would have repealed Obamacare’s core insurance mandates.

The proposal by, among others, Senators Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana has undeniably been gaining momentum in recent days. The White House has reengaged Republicans in an effort to push it over the top. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, after giving up on repeal in July, is assessing the bill’s support within the conference and has asked the Congressional Budget Office to prioritize its analysis of of a key Republican governor, Doug Ducey of Arizona, which could bring with it the support of Senator John McCain, .

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