White House Still Pressing to Hold ACA Change Vote This Week

Pre-Existing Conditions

Some of those proposed changes were circulating this week among members in summary form, including an amendment co-sponsored by Rep. Tom MacArthur, a New Jersey Republican and co-chairman of a group of House moderates.

The amendment would allow insurers to charge higher premiums to people with pre-existing conditions in states that get a waiver. To obtain the waiver, states would have to provide sick people priced out of commercial insurance access to a so-called "high-risk pool" run by the federal government, or establish their own, and satisfy certain other conditions.

Brat, asked in the interview whether the latest bill would actually repeal Obamacare — a Trump campaign promise and a long-time goal of congressional Republicans — bluntly said "No."

"This is not repealing Obamacare," he said. "This maintains the rough structure of Obamacare."

No Longer Symbolic

He said that it turns out after more than 50 symbolic votes in the House to undo Obamacare over the years, there isn't enough support to actually do it, now that it can become a reality with a Republican president to go along with the party's control of the House and Senate.

Brat said he doubts House leaders would take up the health bill immediately because Congress must deal with passing a spending measure to keep government funded beyond Friday, when a current spending mechanism expires.

The White House has told Democrats that for every dollar they allow in the spending measure to go toward the planned wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, the administration would agree to equal funds to continue Obamacare subsidies that help reduce out-of-pocket costs for low-income consumers.

"ObamaCare is in serious trouble," Trump tweeted Sunday. "The Dems need big money to keep it going — otherwise it dies far sooner than anyone would have thought."

— Read Government Shutdown Is Logical But Not Likely on ThinkAdvisor.