Rand Paul says splitting up health care bill could improve chances of Obamacare repeal
Sen. Rand Paul said Thursday that the health care bill should be split into two pieces of legislation in order to pass an Obamacare repeal.
"I think if we take this bill and split it into two pieces, we pass one that is more, looks like repeal that conservatives like. And then the other one you load up with all kinds of Christmas ornaments and gifts and money and just pile money on it that the Democrats will vote for and some of the Republicans will vote for," the Kentucky Republican said in an interview on MSNBC's "Morning Joe."
Paul predicts that "both [would] end up passing" if Senate Republicans pursued that path."It may not be completely good for the country, but you at least get the repeal that way," Paul added.
The repeal bill, he said, could repeal Obamacare's taxes and regulations and include Medicaid reform, but he said it would be "much narrower" and "much cleaner."
Paul reiterated that he doesn't "support the current bill and won't vote for it unless it changes or gets better." He was among the first few Senate Republicans to come out against the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA) last week.
In the interview Thursday, Paul admitted that "half of the Republicans hate it," in addition to all of the Democrats. Republicans technically need 51 votes to pass the legislation, but one vote can be Vice President Mike Pence's tie-breaking vote. That means leadership needs at least 50 Senate Republicans to back it, and assuming all Democrats vote against it, Republicans can only afford two defections. The Senate currently has 52 Republicans and 48 Democrats.
Paul said Thursday he supports a plan that would expand beyond Obamacare.
"I'm for letting every individual in the market join a co-op or a buying group and then they would be part of a large group, they'd be protected against pre-existing conditions. But they'd also be able to get a cheaper price," he said. "But this only works if you free up and get rid of the mandates and regulations. Because you have to legalize inexpensive insurance."
Senate leadership is aiming to produce a revised health care bill by Friday to send to the Congressional Budget Office to be scored over the July 4 recess.