With Vice President Mike Pence declaring “the beginning of the end of Obamacare,” the House on Thursday reportedly approved a health care bill that finally won support of both moderate and conservative Republicans.
The legislation, however, is scheduled to go to the Senate where it likely will face another difficult battle.
President Donald Trump hailed the bill’s passage as an “unbelievable victory,” saying he was confident it would pass the Senate.
“Premiums will be coming down. Yes, deductibles will be coming down,” he said. “But very importantly, it’s a great plan.”
The health-care bill would get rid of the individual mandate for coverage, and would give Americans a refundable tax credit based on age for buying health insurance, rather than tying subsidies to income. It would also allow insurers to charge more for consumers in their 50s and 60s, compared with younger users.
The bill would also curtail federal support for Medicaid, and removes some protections for those with pre-existing conditions.
After the vote Thursday, Democrats, who were unable to stop the bill, chanted “nah nah nah nah, hey hey hey, goodbye” to Republicans who supported the bill, saying they believe the vote will cause GOP lawmakers to lose their seats during the midterm elections in 2018, according to CNN.
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