Trending News Today: ACA Replacement Plan Given 3-Week Timeline for Passage

Next week, House committees are planning to take up legislation that would repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), despite a lack of unity among GOP lawmakers. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) recently created a 3-week timeline for passing the legislation, The Washington Post reported. The bill contains key elements, such as increased use of health savings accounts, increased flexibility for Medicaid funding, and insurance plans that can be sold across state lines, according to the report.

The proposal bill to repeal and replace the ACA has been kept a secret from many Democratic lawmakers, and even some Republicans. Ryan said that GOP leaders have decided to move forward with the legislation, although there has been bipartisan criticism of the bill. Democratic lawmakers said they were misdirected to prevent them from seeing the bill, while Sen Rand Paul (R-KY) was denied an opportunity to review the bill, according to The New York Times.

Last Sunday, Vice President Mike Pence met with 10 governors to discuss the future of federal healthcare funding for their states. The governors voiced concerns that repealing the ACA would result in the loss of health insurance for millions, and adversely impact the states. In the meeting, the governors presented a proposal that would allow states to maintain Medicaid expansion, retain federal funding, and choose to expand Medicaid to any income levels, according to Reuters.