The U.S. Senate’s efforts to pass a “skinny” repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) were unsuccessful following a 51-48 vote against the proposed legislation. The “skinny” repeal bill called for repeal of the individual and employer mandates, as well as other foundational provisions of the ACA.
In his Law360 article “What’s Next for ACA Appeal,” Partner Michael Parme discussed events leading up to the vote and how the Senate will proceed.
“Although it is unclear what comes next, the mood of the Senate was very much one of turning to other business,” wrote Parme. “That may not be optimal given that there is broad consensus that the ACA has flaws and the insurance markets need to be stabilized. It remains to be seen whether a spirit of bipartisanship can take hold and provide a foothold for future reform, or alternately, whether Republicans will abandon health care as a priority on the legislative agenda.”