House Speaker John Boehner says Republicans are still “building a consensus” about an alternative to the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010.
Asked by NBC News when House Republicans might unveil the long-awaited substitute, Boehner replied: “We’re building a consensus, we’ll see.”
Many of Boehner’s fellow Republicans have been calling for leaders to move a bill on the floor in advance of the looming midterm elections. While the GOP is largely running against Democratic candidates by highlighting rivals’ support for the president’s signature –- but still unpopular -- legislative achievement, many Republicans want to tout their support for a conservative health care solution as well.
Pressed about what a GOP healthcare plan might look like, Boehner pointed reporters to proposals offered by the party during the run-up to the eventual passage of the law.
Then, the GOP’s loose plan was a collection of standard Republican principles: small business tax credits to businesses that offered healthcare, measures to allow young people to stay on their parent’s plan till age 25, medical malpractice reforms and a boost in high risk pools. The Congressional Budget Office at the time said the GOP plan would only reduce the number of uninsured by 3 million while the Democratic proposal would cover 31 million people.
