After Vote, GOP Not Done with Health Care Repeal Effort

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio walks through Statuary Hall on Capitol Hill in Washington Jan. 19, 2011, after the vote passed to repeal the health care law.

/ AP Photo

One day after voting to repeal the Democrats' health care law, the House of Representatives voted to begin replacing the legislation.

The resolution that passed Thursday morning does not include any deadlines or mandates. It just tells four relevant committees with jurisdiction over health-care related issues to start working on it. It also provides some broad goals like making sure that the legislation fosters "economic growth and private sector job creation by eliminating job-killing policies and regulations."

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In the afternoon, the four committee chairmen told reporters that the work begins now.

"Today is Day One of our efforts to replace Obamacare with something better, a lot better," new Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich., said.

Upton said one of the first efforts his committee will take is to allow individuals to purchase health insurance across state lines.

"Competition does work, we know that, and we should allow it to work for health insurance as well," he said, before asking why consumers can buy auto insurance anywhere but health care is restricted to within a state.

Rep. Dave Camp, R-Mich., said that his Ways and Means Committee will hold a hearing next week "solely dedicated to examining the economic and regulatory burdens imposed by the Democrats' health care law."

And the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, wasted no time by convening a hearing Thursday morning on medical liability reform.

"Today, almost every physician in America practices defensive medicine," Smith told reporters. "The consumers, the patients, the American people could save tens of billions of dollars probably every year if we implement medical liability reform."

Smith also plans to hold hearings on the constitutionality of a key provision of the Democrats' Affordable Health Care Act that requires individuals to purchase health insurance.

Cost cutting, the Republicans said, is the major overarching goal of their replacement efforts. Republicans argue that Democrats focused too much on expanding coverage to everyone when they crafted health care legislation last year and ended up having to expand a government entitlement program, Medicaid, to do so.

"Obviously if we can get costs down, the opportunity to afford health care goes up," Camp said, arguing it's a more effective way to expand coverage.

The chairmen avoided giving numbers, however, on how many more people could afford health insurance under their plan. A preliminary Congressional Budget Office analysis based on GOP cost-cutting proposals released last year only estimated to expand coverage to 3 million Americans while the Democrats' law expanded coverage to more than 30 million.

Meanwhile, the Republicans started to take some heat Thursday for focusing so much on health care in the first weeks of the new Congress when they promised voters they would focus on jobs. Speaker John Boehner argued that the two issues are one and the same.

"When you look at the repeal of the health care law yesterday, one of the significant issues was the fact that it's destroying jobs in America," he said.

The committee chairmen were more defensive, saying that they won't be solely focused on health care.

"Just because we're going to be looking at the impact of this health care law on a lot of things, including jobs, it doesn't mean that the committees won't be actively engaged in other aspects of our responsibility." said Education and Workforce Chairman John Kline, R-Minn. "We don't have to limit ourselves to one subject at a time."

"It's not going to be just health," Upton said.

But when should this health care replacement legislation expected to be finished?

"We're going to let the committee process move us forward," said Kline, "not an artificial deadline that's out there."

[myth1958]

"Today is Day One of our efforts to replace Obamacare with something better, a lot better," new Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich., said.
I presume the GOP plan will now be nicknamed 'Republicans-Don't-Care', as they seek to offer more expensive solutions to the current package, which will push consumers back to the pre-universal health care days when we couldn't afford to purchase anything. Leaving it up to the marketplace - which just loves to have that freedom - will yield suffering and death. There has to be enough regulation at the federal level to rein in exorbitant fees, while protecting companies from excessive liability. Maybe the most expensive treatments and hospitalization for the small group that needs that can be 'socialized'? The average Jane and Joe need to be able to see a doctor once in a while. Better to functionally allow that than to dysfunctionally cut them off, see their minor heath issue bloom to a major one and then they loose their home over it - that ends up costing Americans too much, and drives too many of us from our homes in bankruptcy.

[TN-Trawlerman]

When you have no valid basis for your opposition to a good bill other than your unbridled wish for power, you must resort to "spin" or even worse outright lies. You tell me which one you would call the following.

The Republicans accuse the Health Care Bill of "killing thousands of jobs". They claim with a straight face that they found in the Congressional Budget Office's analysis a finding that "the reform law would eliminate 650,000 jobs". Based on this, they use the term "Job-Killing" in the repeal bill's title.

However! The CBO analysis made no such claim. What the CBO did say is that there are people who would like to withdraw from the workforce - but who feel compelled to continue working so they can keep their health insurance. Once the reforms take effect, these individuals will have new options since they don't have to worry about "pre-existing condition" clauses and financial impact. That's where the "lost" jobs supposedly come from. In my opinion, it is at best specious.

On the other hand, this same CBO that they like to quote to "support" their position, is the same CBO that points out that repealing the bill would cost many billions more. Now, faced with that unspun fact, the Republicans in this instance say "phooey, the CBO never knows what it is talking about anyway".

I guess if your going to be a liar, you might as well add two-faced to the charge.

[paulstewart9]

Well if the American people believe any of what the Republican "leadership" is saying and if they buy what they are selling, they deserve to die without health care.

[NWIrish]

What I'd really like to know is what did the people who voted in all these "tea Party" Republicans expect. Do you honestly believe that once they got to Washington, they'd undergo a change of heart? Fat Chance! This is what we get when all we hear is "he who yells the loudest" wins the discussion. I really hope that the American people are finally waking up to the fact that we've strayed from the center for too long. The folks on the right and left edges don't know what the real score is and they haven't figured it out yet. I plan on writing my congressional delegation and telling them they can repeal the health law ONLY if they then quit the 'single payer, we can't drop you for what ever reason" congressional health plan...that we pay for along with their damm pensions, which is another soap box you don't want to get me on!!!! And while we're on the subject, just who in the hell is paying for "Dick, I hope Obama fails" Chaney's Heart pump; and Who do you think will be on the hook for his new heart if he's able to Jump the ques and get a transplant! Isn't Money Wonderful Don't you wish everyone had some...except for the unemployed and marginalized

[gthog]

I expect them to do whatever they can to stop the health care fiasco and expect them to cut spending. It sounds like they are doing both, just like they said they would. As long as libs who respond to seeBS stories don't like what they are doing they must be on the right track.

Oh, and the "they should focus on jobs" meme, after NO concern voiced by the left about the last congress's lack of such focus, is just flat laughable.

[jimbom121]

gthog

And do you think we don't have a healthcare crisis in this country?

[NWIrish]

What I'd really like to know is what did the people who voted in all these "tea Party" Republicans expect. Do you honestly believe that once they got to Washington, they'd undergo a change of heart? Fat Chance! This is what we get when all we hear is "he who yells the loudest" wins the discussion. I really hope that the American people are finally waking up to the fact that we've strayed from the center for too long. The folks on the right and left edges don't know what the real score is and they haven't figured it out yet. I plan on writing my congressional delegation and telling them they can repeal the health law ONLY if they then quit the 'single payer, we can't drop you for what ever reason" congressional health plan...that we pay for along with their damm pensions, which is another soap box you don't want to get me on!!!! And while we're on the subject, just who in the hell is paying for "Dick, I hope Obama fails" Chaney's Heart pump; and Who do you think will be on the hook for his new heart if he's able to Jump the ques and get a transplant! Isn't Money Wonderful Don't you wish everyone had some...except for the unemployed and marginalized

[noloyalisti]

Of course they are not done yet. They have not taken all of everyone's money to turn over to their fascist corporate masters. Even if they do have to Kill Grandma.

[lv_mike]

I can't help it.....I keep reading this article over and over and it #&%*& me off so bad that I just can't believe how Mr. Boehner can lie time after time after time about the same thing....."When you look at the repeal of the health care law yesterday, one of the significant issues was the fact that it's destroying jobs in America," is what he said and I want him to explain to me in layman terms exactly what he means by that! "Destroying jobs" in what way? How can our Health Bill destroy jobs? What he really means is that his money backers have told him that this bill has to go "or else"! I guess you can't really blame him though....wouldn't you be scared to death of those rich &$%holes! Can you imagine what grief they could bring to into your life if you didn't comply to their wishes. I would hate to be in his shoes right now, I can tell you that!

[IL-Independent]

Gop,
The only lie that there is, is the one that the Democrats have about the motives for the GOP. It does not matter how many Republicans explain why they are doing this, it does not meet what you think so you are going to sit there and lie to everyone because that is what you do best. You do not know anything and since you have no evidence to support it I guess that means that you need to find a different job. Tell your boss the next time he has you post something to at the very least try to give you some evidence so at least you have something to support your posts.

[jimbom121]

Ok...they why are Repubs doing this? They are adding to the deficit, and it will kill jobs...both of those statements have been supported by the CBO.

[lv_mike]

I forgot to ask in my last post....."WHERE ARE ALL OF THE JOBS" Mr. Boehner? And what are you doing to fix the economy crisis? Isn't that what your party advocated to get voted back into the Majority of the House? What say, Mr. Boehner?

[lv_mike]

Yea, well YOUR party had 8 years to do something other that the destruction they brought to this country and I hope your intelligent enough to know what happened there, so as a matter of fact, why don't YOU shut the ****up?

[iamproteus]

Don't hold your breath, Mike. Neither Boehner nor any other Republican has an honest answer for you. All they have is criticism of others.

[Counselor1]

Of the two Republican's possibilities for replacement, Ryan's Roadmap 2.0 plan, and Boehner's "Common Sense" plan, neither would, on CBO analysis, cover anywhere near the 30+ million who would be covered under the PPA. Each contains invitations to very RISKY choices. It's important to point out that the Roadmap, is non-longitudinal, i.e., it fails to depict (or leave an ordinary American with an adequate safety net for) any of the "Badlands" in a 70 year adulthood, working and investing for 40 years for a 30 retirement (badlands: asset bubbles, budget busting large wars, inflation, market crashes and massive job losses, severe unanticipated illnesses or accidents.) Both plans would leave most Americans MORE at risk than the current safety net. Also, the Roadmap is future-loaded with deep cuts for our children when they reach adulthood. Opposition to health care extension started out appealing to selfish Bad Samaritanism. Now in the Republican plans it invites us to become like Kronos, eating our own children to avoid tax increases for the rich.

[jimbom121]

That is because the Republicans don't care if people are able to get health insurance.

[lv_mike]

I keep hearing the Republicans saying "cost-cutting".....if this is implemented, will that mean that the insurance companies won't be between the patients and the doctors.....answer me that!