Senate Republicans vote to open debate on repealing and replacing Obamacare

Key step toward healthcare reform passes thanks in part to John McCain’s return, but shape of final legislation and chances of success remain unclear

Senate Republicans took a tentative step toward fulfilling seven years of promises to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on Tuesday, something they achieved only after the dramatic return of Senator John McCain, who was diagnosed last week with brain cancer.

The procedural vote, which passed without the support of a single Democrat, allows the Senate to open debate on repealing and replacing the ACA, popularly known as Obamacare, even though it remains unclear exactly what legislation they will be voting on.

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Republican effort to repeal Obamacare ‘a ruse’, says Chuck Schumer – video

The Senate minority leader, speaking before Tuesday’s vote on whether to proceed to debate on legislation to repeal the ACA, said the GOP bill will hurt millions of Americans. He also appealed to Republicans to work with the Democrats to build a better bill

  • How does the US healthcare system compare with other countries?
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John McCain to return for pivotal US Senate vote on Obamacare

Senior Republican senator, who has brain cancer, could play a crucial role in keeping efforts to overhaul healthcare afloat

John McCain is to return to the US Senate for the first time since he announced his brain cancer diagnosis for a make-or-break session in the Republican effort to repeal President Obama’s healthcare reforms.

Senators will be asked on Tuesday whether to begin debate on legislation to supplant the 2010 Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare – landmark legi...

‘Female senators’ to blame for health bill struggle, says Republican congressman

Blake Farenthold of Texas appears to suggest that if those senators were male, he might challenge them to a duel ‘Aaron Burr-style’

A Republican lawmaker has blamed “female senators” for his party’s failure thus far to repeal and replace Barack Obama’s healthcare law, noting that if they were men he would challenge them to a duel.

Blake Farenthold, a congressman from Texas, singled out the women as the US Senate prepares to vote on Tuesday on whether to move forward with legislation that would dismantle the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

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Latest Republican health bill ‘a porkfest, a monstrosity’, Rand Paul says

  • Kentucky senator says he will not vote for bill to proceed to debate this week
  • Rightwinger Paul wants clean repeal of Affordable Care Act

Rand Paul, one of the conservative senators who has helped to hold up Republican healthcare reform, on Sunday derided the current Senate bill as a “monstrosity” and a “porkfest” and said he would not vote for it to proceed to debate this week.

Related: Republicans face two unpalatable options on replacement healthcare bill

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Republicans face two unpalatable options on replacement healthcare bill

After a six-month debate and seven years of promising they would repeal the Affordable Care Act, Republicans don’t have many good options left to pass a bill

Mitch McConnell likes to say that finding 50 Republican votes to pass healthcare reform is like solving a Rubik’s cube. As he pushes his party toward a vote expected early next week, the Senate majority leader is still furiously twisting the puzzle.

Related: Republicans still can't craft healthcare plan that won't drop co...

Republicans still can’t craft healthcare plan that won’t drop coverage for tens of millions

Latest effort on brink of collapse for lack of support after CBO predicts repeal-and-replace plan would see 22 million lose insurance but cut deficit by $420bn

The latest effort by Senate Republicans to revive their plan to repeal Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) was teetering on the brink of collapse again as a new prediction said it would mean 22 million people losing their health insurance by 2026.

Related: Who are the 'dopes' that can't pass a replacement healthcar...

Repeal-only healthcare bill would cost 32m people coverage, CBO says

Congressional Budget Office analysis comes as Donald Trump urges Republicans to pass a new Obamacare replacement bill

A bill that would repeal major pieces of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) without replacing it would increase the number of people without insurance by 32 million people over the next decade, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said in an analysis on Wednesday.

Related: Trump changes mind again, telling senators to get health bill 'on my desk'

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Trump changes mind again, telling senators to get health bill ‘on my desk’

Within a day of telling Republicans to simply ‘let Obamacare fail’, president says they should cancel their August break to address healthcare reform

Less than 24 hours after Donald Trump advised Republicans to “let Obamacare fail”, he once again switched course and told senators to cancel their August recess and remain in Washington until they overhaul the healthcare law.

During an uncomfortable lunch on Wednesday, Trump warned Republican senators that “inaction” was not an o...