McConnell vows to move ahead on ACA repeal and delay

Despite opposition from three Republican senators who said they will vote against repeal the Affordable Care Act, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell promises to hold such a vote next week.

"We've decided to hold the vote to open debate on Obamacare repeal to early next week," McConnell said from the Senate floor Wednesday morning. "The Obamacare repeal legislation will ensure a stable, two-year transition period which will allow us to wipe the slate clean and start over with real patient-centered healthcare  reform. This is the same legislation that a majority of the Senate voted to send to the president in 2015."

Senators were headed to the White House to discuss the repeal, according to a tweet by McConnell's press team.

At the White House lunch, President Trump reportedly told the Republican senators he doesn't want Congress to leave Washington for the August recess until lawmakers pass a healthcare bill.

Republican Senators Susan Collins of Maine, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska have said they would vote against a motion to proceed on such a measure.

[Also: 5 reasons why GOP's 'repeal and replace' didn't work]

Collins also voted against the repeal in 2015. She has said she supports a bipartisan solution to fix the Affordable Care Act.

McConnell proposes to wipe the slate clean in an ACA repeal, yet as proposed through the same reconciliation vote as in 2015, only parts of the bill would be rescinded.

Repeal and delay would end the ACA's individual and employer mandate, Medicaid expansion, premium tax credits, small business tax credits and cost-sharing reduction payments, according to a blog by Timothy Jost of Health Affairs.

CSRs are a big sticking point with insurers seeking stability to remain in the exchange market.

[Also: Insurers urge Senate to drop Cruz amendment, saying premiums would skyrocket]

Repeal of the taxes imposed by the ACA in 2015 would have cost $1.2 trillion at that time, and left Congress without revenue to fund future healthcare legislation, Jost said.

The Washington Post said reconciliation would eliminate taxes on the wealthy, on insurers and on medical companies, and would end subsidies to buy insurance.

What would stay is a provision for insurers to cover pre-existing medical conditions and to provide essential health benefits.

McConnell pulled a vote on the Senate's Better Care Reconciliation Act Tuesday morning when Collins and GOP Senators Mike Lee of Utah, Jerry Moran of Kansas and Rand Paul of Kentucky said they could not support the bill. With a 52-seat majority, Republicans could afford to lose only two votes.

Paul said one reason he was against the bill was because it gave $50 billion to health insurance companies.

The money was to stabilize the market so that health insurers could address coverage, disruptions in coverage and other healthcare needs, according to the bill.

Twitter: @SusanJMorse