On June 22nd, Senate leadership unveiled the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA), the Senate’s proposal to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This bill is the accompanying measure to the American Health Care Act (AHCA) - the House’s ACA repeal and replace legislation. Yesterday’s release of the bill text follows weeks of uncertainty driven by an accelerated timeline coupled with a paucity of information regarding specific policies that would be included in the Senate’s measure. Following the release of bill text, Senate leadership is continuing to press for a vote before the scheduled July 4th Congressional recess. In order to meet this deadline, the measure must be put on the Senate floor for a vote by the end of next week. The current understanding is that the vote will occur towards the end of the week, either on Thursday or potentially Friday, after 20 hours of debate. Senate Democrats, as well as several Republicans, have stated concerns about the expedited timeline between release of the language and the scheduled vote; however, leadership continues to express their commitment to holding a vote before the recess. It remains uncertain whether the bill has sufficient support to secure the necessary 50 votes in the Senate.
To read ADvancing States’s analysis of the legislation, click here.
For information from the Senate majority, including legislative text, visit: https://www.budget.senate.gov/bettercare