Republican lawmakers unveil ACA replacement plan

(AMA Grand Rounds, 2-5-15) – The New York Times (2/5, A18, Pear, Subscription Publication) reports that three “influential Republican members of Congress unveiled a comprehensive proposal on Wednesday to replace President Obama’s health care overhaul with an alternative that would halt the expansion of Medicaid and scale back subsidies for middle-income people to buy private insurance.” The plan would retain some consumer protections in the Affordable Care Act “but would reduce federal regulation of insurance policies.” Notably, the plan would also repeal the health law’s individual mandate and employer mandate. The proposal was developed by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), chairman of the Finance Committee; Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee; and Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), a member of the Finance and Health committees.

The Washington Times (2/5, Howell) reports that the GOP proposal “would offer tax credits to people making up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level in place of Obamacare’s 100 percent-to-400 percent window.” The plan would also “replace the law’s Medicaid expansion with state-by-state grant funding — ostensibly letting people choose between the program and subsidized private coverage — allow people to buy coverage across state lines and, as a revenue source, cap the tax exclusion of employer-based health insurance at $12,000 for an individual and $30,000 for a family.”

The Los Angeles Times (2/5, Levey) notes that the outline “parallels a blueprint that senior GOP senators proposed in the last Congress.” While the plan would still guarantee coverage for those with preexisting medical conditions, that “assurance is more limited than what the current law offers because it protects only consumers who maintain continuous health coverage.”

The AP (2/4, Espo) calls the proposal “an early marker among the competing recommendations likely to be floated in advance of an expected Supreme Court ruling in June on the constitutionality of a key part of President Barack Obama’s health insurance overhaul.”

The Washington Post (2/5, Millman) reports in its “Wonkblog” that “health policy aides for Burr, Hatch and Upton said this plan could be the basis for the party’s long-term vision for health reform.”

The Hill (2/5, Ferris) also reports the story.