Timing for House Vote on GOP Health Plan Could be Fluid
New Congressional Budget Office score could determine fate
The House is still scheduled to vote Thursday on the GOP health plan, but timing could be fluid with senior Republicans saying they to expect to have an updated evaluation on the bill’s cost and effect on insurance coverage before it lands on the floor.
Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady said Monday that GOP leaders expect to have an updated Congressional Budget Office estimate to reflect changes expected to made to their health care legislation before it goes to the House floor.
“The bill at the end of the day coming out of the Rules Committee will have a positive score to it,” the Texas Republican said. The Rules panel is scheduled to consider the legislation on Wednesday. “We expect to get an updated score before it goes to the House floor,” he added.
Later, when asked to clarify that there would be an updated CBO score before Thursday, Brady said, “Um, I’ll check back on that. There will be certainly before we go the floor.”
Brady also said he expected to see a proposed package of policy and technical changes, referred to as a manager’s amendment, on Monday. He declined to detail the changes, but did confirm there will be changes to the repeal dates for some of the 2010 law’s taxes.
Brady said GOP leaders are still working on different options for how best to provide additional aide to people in their 50s and early 60s, indicating that might not be resolved in the manager’s amendment and that such aid may not come in the form of a more generous tax credit.
The release of the manager’s amendment will come the evening before President Donald Trump heads to the Capitol to talk to House Republicans about his support for the health care bill in a last-ditch effort to win over naysayers. Despite concerns from conservatives and moderates alike, GOP leaders have remained bullish that the bill will pass.
“At the end of the day, I’m optimistic that the legislation not only passes the House in a strong way but passes the Senate and gets to the president’s desk,” Brady said.