Ohio GOP House members show challenges for passing health reform

WASHINGTON — Look no further than Cincinnati’s congressional delegation to understand why Republican leaders are having so much trouble rallying their party around their Obamacare replacement plan.

Cincinnati is represented by a quartet of rock-ribbed Republicans — and none of them has committed to vote for House Speaker Paul Ryan’s plan to repeal and replace the 2010 health care law.

Some area lawmakers have been openly critical of the GOP bill, the American Health Care Act, while others are lukewarm about it.

Rep. Thomas Massie has called the Republican measure “a stinking pile of garbage,” while Rep. Warren Davidson says he will vote “no” unless it’s dramatically changed.

“This act is in trouble,” Davidson told NPR last week.

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Other local Republicans were kinder about the GOP plan.

“I’m reserving my judgment,” Rep. Steve Chabot said on Monday.

Chabot said there are some things he likes about the bill, and other things he’s not so hot on. He declined to detail the pros and cons, and he noted that GOP leaders are still tweaking the bill.

“I’m certainly hoping it’s something that I can vote for” by the time it hits the House floor, Chabot said.

Rep. Brad Wenstrup said the Republican bill "gives Americans their freedom back and puts us on a path towards patient-centered care."

But Wenstrup, a podiatrist, noted that GOP leaders have not released a final text of the bill yet, so he's waiting to see that before deciding how he will vote.

The House bill would not fully repeal the 2010 Affordable Care Act, but it would kill major elements of that Democratic law. For example, the American Health Care Act, would nix the requirement that most Americans purchase insurance, but it would keep in place a provision allowing younger Americans to stay on their parents' health plans until age 26.

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The Republican proposal would repeal the ACA’s tax credits, which are based on income and the cost of health insurance in their local market; it would replace those with less generous tax credits based on age.

Massie and other conservatives have derided the new tax credits, saying Republicans are just substituting one entitlement program for another.

“ObamaCare 2.0 is welfare without a stigma, since nearly everyone qualifies and the $ goes directly to the insurance co's,” Massie tweeted last week.

Davidson has a more fundamental problem with the Republican bill: It doesn’t fully repeal the ACA.

“The promise was to repeal and replace Obamacare,” said Davidson’s spokesman, Alexei Woltornist. “And that’s how constituents are going to weigh this.”

So far, he said, Davidson’s office has received nearly 300 calls urging the congressman to oppose the bill — and one call urging him to support it.

With House Democrats united against the bill, Republican leaders cannot afford to lose more than about 20 votes. But they are walking a tightrope in rounding up support, because as they add provisions to win the support of conservatives like Davidson, they may lose support from Republican moderates.

Chabot suggested Thursday’s timeline for a floor vote might slip as House leaders try to shore up support.

“It would be a disaster if they brought it up and it failed,” Chabot said.  “I think they still have some work to do.”