The plan gives states the option to keep or opt out of Obamacare.

GOP Senators Bill Cassidy (LA) and Susan Collins (ME) unveiled one possible replacement for Obamacare called the Patient Freedom Act. This plan would leave the majority of the power to the states, letting each one decide “whether the want to keep ObamaCare.” Fox News reported:

“We recognize that our bill is not perfect,” said Maine Sen. Susan Collins, who introduced the 2017 Patient Freedom Act with Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, a physician and fellow Republican. “We need comprehensive legislation,” Collins continued. “It’s still a work in progress. … But if we don’t start putting specific legislation on the table that can be debated, refined, amended and enacted, then we will fail the American people.”

The states that want Obamacare can keep the entire with “its subsidies, mandates and protections for people with pre-existing conditions.”

Those that choose to opt out will have another plan to “provide a uniform tax credit linked to a health savings account to help people afford a basic, less comprehensive health insurance plan.”

Collins and Cassidy have not presented the legislation yet, which means they did not release a lot of details “like the size of the tax credit under the alternative to ObamaCare, were not immediately available.” Those that opt out could receive “95 percent of the federal money that they would get under ObamaCare, but to use for the alternative tax credit system instead.”

Cassidy pointed out the two senators kept the Obamacare option to persuade Senate Democrats to side with them. They need 60 votes to pass the legislation, which means at least eight Democrats must vote for it:

“At some point in this process, we’re going to need a bill that can get 60 votes,” Cassidy said at a press conference Monday. “We think that helps us get to 60.” “California, New York: You love ObamaCare, you can keep it,” he added.

Yeah, the plan did not impress Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer:

“While I have a great deal of respect for Senators Collins and Cassidy, their proposal today illustrates the dilemma both they and Republicans are in,” Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in a statement. “Ultimately, this proposal is an empty facade that would create chaos — not care — for millions of Americans. Republicans should drop their disruptive repeal plans and work with Democrats to improve, not gut, the Affordable Care Act and healthcare system for all Americans.”

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said he will release his replacement plan sometime this week. Last week, though, he gave a small preview of his draft:

Paul suggested Sunday that the replacement plan will include more low-cost insurance plans “One of the key reforms that we will do is, we’re going to legalize the sale of inexpensive insurance,” he told CNN’s “State of the Union.” “That means getting rid of the ObamaCare mandates on what you can buy.”

Paul wants to “include health saving accounts and tax credits to help customers save money.”



