Healthcare repeal

All House Republicans are expected to support a repeal of President
Obama’s healthcare law. It remains unclear how many Democrats will join
the unified majority.

In a test vote before the deadly shooting in Tucson, Ariz., four House Democrats sided with the GOP on a procedural motion pertaining to the bill: Reps. Dan Boren (Okla.), Larry Kissell (N.C.), Mike McIntyre (N.C.) and Mike Ross (Ark.).

{mosads}Kissell, however, has indicated he will not vote for repeal this week.

The debate will be partisan, though lawmakers are likely to tamp down their rhetoric in response to the assassination attempt of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.).

Republicans postponed the repeal vote, initially scheduled for last week, in response to the shooting.

In many ways, the vote on repeal, which will occur less than a week before Obama’s State of the Union address, will represent the easy lifting for the House GOP. It will be far more difficult for them to come up with a replacement measure, which they have pledged to do.

Some of the more popular parts of the healthcare law, such as coverage for pre-existing conditions, will be included in the GOP replacement legislation. The GOP stresses, however, that all of the existing bill will be scrapped; even those provisions that Republicans wish, broadly, to keep will be rewritten.

A new Rasmussen Reports survey found that 20 percent of those contacted do not support replacing the health law after it is eradicated.

The chances of it being scrapped entirely are very slim in the immediate future. Senate Republicans will try to bring a repeal measure to the floor, but it lacks the votes to pass or even come close to a veto-proof majority.

But moving legislation takes time. For Republicans, “repeal and replace” is a long-term strategy for when, they hope, they control not just the House, but also the Senate and White House in 2013. That’s the only way a repeal bill will succeed, and even then, it will be extremely challenging to get through the upper chamber.

Calls for repeal resonated on the campaign trail, but it would raise significant questions. Here’s one that comes to mind: Would the elderly be forced to return the $250 checks they received last year to help them buy prescription drugs?

That will be one of many questions Democrats will raise on the House floor on Wednesday in what will be the beginning of the healthcare reform debate, Part 2.