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Senate Republicans Make Last-Ditch ACA Repeal Effort

From left, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and former Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., hold a press conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017.
Associated Press
From left, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and former Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., hold a press conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017.

The Affordable Care Act remains anathema to many Republicans.

That is why some Republican senators are not ready to give up the idea of repealing it.

Four GOP senators, including Sens. Bill Cassidy, R-La., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., introduced a repeal bill this week.

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It would eliminate the federal ACA subsidies that help make health insurance more affordable. It would also kill the current funding stream for Medicaid expansion.

In its place, the measure would give states money in the form of block grants.

Anthony Wright, executive director of the nonprofit Health Access California, said this repeal plan is the worst one yet.

Wright said under the measure, California would lose $35 billion a year in federal assistance.

“What is just shocking under this proposal is how nakedly partisan and anti-California it is," Wright said. "It’s a bad deal for every state in the union, but just disproportionately and directly for California, intentionally so.”

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Supporters said the plan would give states more control.

Regardless of the bill's impact, supporters face an uphill climb.

Under senate rules the bill requires only a simple majority to pass. However, that threshold expires at the end of this month.

Senate Republicans Make Last-Ditch ACA Repeal Effort
Republicans in the Senate have introduced yet another attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act.