Over the last couple of weeks, Senate Republicans have mounted a last-ditch effort to replace provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). On September 19, NASL’s Board of Directors voted to formally oppose the latest effort, the Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson amendment to the American Health Care Act (H.R. 1628), which is the vehicle for Republicans’ ACA-repeal efforts. A copy of NASL’s opposition letter to the Graham-Cassidy bill is available on NASL.org.

The Senate Finance Committee is still holding a dramatic hearing today to debate the bill. Among the health insurance changes, the Graham-Cassidy bill would radically reshape Medicaid financing, and the Senate Finance Committee’s hearing will be the probably sole opportunity for this bill to be debated in public before it is due to be considered on the Senate floor.

Senate leadership faces a September 30 deadline under reconciliation rules. Given that several Republicans have publicly said they oppose the bill, passage is uncertain and the bill is undergoing many changes to attempt to secure Republican support.