House members vote for 'martial law' waiver on one-day wait rule in hopes of speedy ACA repeal
Waiving the rule through process called martial law allows them to vote when ready, rather than waiting the one day required, according to The Hill.
House members on Tuesday voted largely along party lines to waive a one-day rule and give themselves the ability to vote on health legislation when they have the votes necessary to pass it.
House Speaker Paul Ryan and other GOP leaders are still drumming up the votes necessary to pass legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.
Waiving the rule through a process called martial law allows them to vote when ready, rather than waiting the one day required after a bill comes out of the House Rules Committee, according to The Hill.
[Also: New GOP healthcare plan includes federally funded high-risk pools, opt-out for essential benefits]
Republicans also invoked martial law in March when they were about to vote on Ryan's American Health Care Act. The AHCA didn't go to a vote when the GOP leadership realized they didn't have the needed votes to pass the measure.
An amendment to the AHCA by moderate Republican Rep. Tom MacArthur appeases conservatives who didn't support the bill the first time around by allowing states to waive essential benefits.
[Also: Trump's job creation goal could clash with 'repeal and replace' promise]
Another element of waiver states that sets up high risk pools for consumers with pre-existing conditions is controversial. Democrats and opponents say the current GOP plan allows insurers to charge higher premiums to consumers with pre-existing conditions, making health coverage for them unaffordable. The ACA didn't allow insurers to charge high-risk beneficiaries more than anyone else.
Twitter: @SusanJMorse
