GOP Leaders Brace for CBO Estimate on Revised Health Bill

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

(Bloomberg) -- Senate Republicans anxiously awaiting a key analysis of their revised health bill have more time to wait, and debate on the controversial measure that had been expected this week will also be delayed following a medical scare involving one of its potential backers.

Two Republicans have come out against the plan, meaning Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell must get the rest of his colleagues on his side. But Senator John McCain will be home in Arizona this week, recovering from unexpected surgery -- leaving McConnell at least one vote short of the 50 he would need to advance the measure.

“While John is recovering, the Senate will continue our work on legislative items and nominations, and will defer consideration of the Better Care Act,” McConnell said in a statement late Saturday.

McCain’s surgery to remove a blood clot from above his left eye certainly complicates the timetable, but it also buys McConnell more time to shore up support among a number of holdouts, including Rob Portman of Ohio, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Dean Heller of Nevada.

The Congressional Budget Office is expected to soon issue its estimate of the new plan’s impact on health coverage and the federal budget deficit, although not on Monday, as many had anticipated. Regardless of the timing, Republicans hope the report will look better than an earlier version, which said the Republican plan would cause 22 million Americans to lose insurance by 2026.

It’s not guaranteed, though, that the fresh analysis will show dramatically better effects. It’s also not expected to include a full accounting of a new provision, pushed by Republican Senators Ted Cruz of Texas and Mike Lee of Utah, that would allow cheaper health plans free of Obamacare regulations on what elements need to be covered. That assessment could take several weeks, a Senate Republican aide said.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/gop-leaders-brace-for-cbo-estimate-on-revised-health-bill/ar-BBEAvna?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=edgsp

[bearsfootball516]

1. Death knell

I think the CBO will be the death knell of the bill. It's already been reported that 8-10 republicans have grave concerns about the bill. A brutal CBO score would probably push at least a couple of them over the edge to voting no.