House Freedom Caucus will back an amended Obamacare repeal bill

by WorldTribune Staff, April 27, 2017

The House Freedom Caucus, which played a key role in derailing the previous attempt at repealing Obamacare, said it will support the latest repeal effort.

House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows. / AFP / Getty Images

The Freedom Caucus on April 26 announced its official support for the American Health Care Act (AHCA), the House leadership-backed Obamacare repeal bill, saying it was swayed by an amendment that makes substantial changes to the legislation that was rejected in March.

“Freedom Caucus announces official position of support for AHCA with MacArthur amendment included,” House Freedom Caucus spokeswoman Alyssa Farah confirmed in a tweet.

The MacArthur amendment — negotiated between Tuesday Group Co-Chairman Tom MacArthur and House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows — “would allow states to waive out of a number of Obamacare’s Title I regulations, a sticking point for conservatives who felt it was the only way to truly bring down premiums,” The Daily Caller reported on April 26.

The Freedom Caucus was largely blamed for shooting down House Republicans’ first attempt to pass the American Health Care Act last month, having dubbed the bill “Obamacare lite.”

A number of moderates are still on the fence, the report added, saying they are concerned over Medicaid expansion and pre-existing conditions.

House leadership said they will bring AHCA to the floor when they are confident they have the votes for it to pass.

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