"They're throwing around so many numbers and there are so many things undecided," said Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) | Getty No breakthrough on Obamacare repeal Senate Republicans are reserving judgment on a House repeal plan until they see more of the details.

Senate Republicans aren't backing the latest House plan to repeal and replace Obamacare, saying they are reserving judgment until House leaders provide key details about the proposal they intend to advance as soon as next week.

Top House Republican committee chairmen Kevin Brady and Greg Walden on Wednesday crossed the Capitol to rally support among their Senate counterparts for their bill but provided lawmakers with few details, such as a cost estimate, legislative language or policy details, even as they walked senators through the broad outlines of the plan.


"They're throwing around so many numbers and there are so many things undecided," said Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who added that he wants to see legislative text on paper before weighing in on the broad policy outlines.

Republicans in the House want to pass their repeal legislation by the end of the month and hand it off to the Senate, where leaders want to vote by April 7. But the process has been bogged down by policy disputes over issues such as whether there should be refundable tax credits, whether a Medicaid expansion is going to be repealed and how to pay for it.

Senate Finance Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) said the plan is still in a "state of transition."

There was an apparent decision by senators not to discuss the meeting in public or litigate the party's differences for a day, as several normally chatty GOP senators refused to talk about even the broadest parameters of the meeting.

One source said Republican leaders do not view the public infighting as productive and are hoping to put a pause on it.

"I'm not going to get into any details," said Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.). "I'd like to see something happen that's constructive."

And due to the sensitivity of the issue there was no bill shown to senators by the House chairmen, an apparent attempt to prevent leaks. But it also made it hard for senators to buy in.

"I need to see a plan. You want me to endorse something I haven't even read? … This is a big thing," said Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). "They are describing a plan. They didn't hand out a piece of paper. There are still numbers missing."

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden, who presented the House pitch with Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady, shared few details after the hourlong meeting except that it "wasn't a decision-making meeting."

Walden and Brady said their budget estimates for the bill — which they insisted would save money — were a "guess," according to a source familiar with the conversation. They also said they were uncertain that provisions in the bill would be ruled in order by the Senate parliamentarian via the budget reconciliation process, which allows Senate Republicans to pass the repeal without threat of a Democratic filibuster.

Walden later told POLITICO he would be sharing an "initial staff draft" with Energy and Commerce members on Thursday. He declined to say when it would become public, or to confirm any markup in his committee next week.

House Speaker Paul Ryan had said before the late February recess he hoped to introduce a bill this week. House Republicans have been deeply divided on several aspects of a repeal and replace approach. Members have disagreed on tax credits, Medicaid expansion, and the cap on tax breaks for employer sponsored health insurance as a pay-for, among other things.

After the Senate meeting, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) said, "We have a long way to go." He would not say whether he supports the House plan but did say the leaders' timeline means a repeal vote in "late March if we're lucky and Easter break if we're not. But insurance companies that make the rates available need it to come this month." He was referring to filing dates for next year's premiums for health plans taking part in Obamacare markets.

Ryan has said that he wants the House to vote this month. Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) said the Senate would likely vote by early April. But he also said there is no "finished product," creating a high-stakes rush by Republicans to concentrate almost single-mindedly on repealing the health care law.

"We have two options. One is the status quo. And the other is repeal and replace Obamacare. I think our members will not do status quo," Cornyn said.

Cornyn and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Ryan, among others, met with the president on Wednesday to talk about Obamacare strategy at the White House. They discussed timelines, coordination and some details — though key committee chairmen were not in attendance.

President Donald Trump earlier this week said health care is "complicated" — a sentiment shared by Republicans across the Capitol.

"I'm really happy with the way the Senate has come around with the knowledge base on this," said Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.). "We're grinning and moving forward. We have a long way to get yet, but I feel like we're making progress."