Senator Feinstein Weighs In On The Future Of U.S. Health Care
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) -- A nagging problem awaits the president when he returns -- his plan to repeal and replace Obamacare stalled -- and now, Senator Dianne Feinstein says it may not be revived.
It's been three weeks since the Republican Senate health care bill was released to the public.
On Friday, Senator Feinstein said she does not think it will pass.
And if Obamacare remains the law -- she told us for the first time -- she's got an idea for how to make it better.
"I think we're very close to defeating it we're very close -- Mitch McConnell the leader hasn't brought it to the floor. My sense is he won't until he has the votes and my sense is that he's not going to have the votes…we'll see if it comes to the floor on Monday. If it does not you know that it does not have the votes yet," she said.
Feinstein said, "There is no Democrat in the United States Senate that will vote for this bill, it will be 51 Republicans or nothing."
Feinstein says it will probably be nothing.
If the Republican proposal does fail, the Senator says Democrats are willing to work with the Republicans
"We would collaborate. Chuck Schumer has said that, he is the leader on our side," Feinstein said.
Feinstein admits that the current system isn't perfect. For example, the system of subsidies: people who make less than $48,000 can get government money to help pay for insurance.
"The minute you go over that let's say it's $50,000 you lose the subsidy," she said.
That's the point where a person goes from subsidy to nothing, it's called the cliff and Feinstein wants to change it.
"What we have done has taken the cliff and changed into a percent so that as you earn more the cliff goes down gradually you don't just fall off of it," she said.
The Senator says her proposal might not get republican support because it would cost money.
"I've introduced it as a bill, with this crowd I don't think it'll go anywhere but it's there," Feinstein said.
The Senate has been on a break this week, and some Republican Senators have gone home to their districts to find constituents angry about this proposal -- so, on Monday, there may be even more GOP senators who say they cannot vote for it.