Politico: GOP Has Several Ways to Salvage Healthcare Reform

Republicans have at least a half-dozen options to salvage the Obamacare repeal efforts after delaying a vote Thursday – from rewriting the bill to doing nothing at all, according to Politico.

Among possible scenarios, the outlet reports that House Republicans could:

• Put off a vote even longer than Friday. According to Politico, a further postponement would buy Speaker Paul Ryan and the Trump administration breathing room if they think they're close to a deal with the two dozen or so House Freedom Caucus members still opposed to the bill — or with some moderates in the "no" column.
• Rewrite the bill to sway the hardline Freedom Caucus, by axing Obamacare's provision requiring health plans to cover minimum benefits. The risk is that the hardliners could press for even bigger concessions, including stripping out additional consumer protections, Politico reported.
• Force a showdown vote — and put opponents at risk of being seen as an impediment to the president's first-term agenda.
• Scrap the current bill and start from scratch. According to Politico, the option would restart the process and possibly result in a smaller bill that could win broader support in both chambers – and let the GOP move on to tax reform and other agenda items.
• Work on bipartisan fixes to Obamacare. Politico noted it is the least likely option.
• Do nothing. Republicans could shelve an overhaul to the healthcare system, and bet they won't pay a political price next year, Politico reported.

"If the GOP tries and fails to get legislation through the House, it may start to look like the best of their bad options," Politico poster Adam Cancryn wrote.

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