Here’s what you need to know.
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- Senate Republicans are expected to release a draft of their bill that would repeal and replace Obamacare around 9:30 a.m. ET today, after Republican leadership was widely criticized for writing it in secret and with so far no public or Democratic input.
- The text of the final bill — which could impact millions of Americans if it were passed into law —will be released not long before senators have to vote on it, likely late next week.
- Senate leaders said the bill will be debated for 20 hours before a "vote-a-rama," where senators will vote on "an unlimited amount of amendments" to make changes to the bill.
- The Senate needs 50 votes to pass the bill (with Vice President Mike Pence breaking the tie), and so far all 46 Democrats have said they’ll oppose it and do what they can to gum up the works. Republicans have to please both moderate and hard-line factions to get the bill to pass, and it’s unclear whether they will.
- THEN, if it's passed, the Senate will have to reconcile their bill with the House’s version to form one comprehensive Republican repeal and replace plan before President Donald Trump can sign it into law.
- Here are six key questions about what the heck is in this bill.
- Trump is, of course, a factor. After praising the House bill in a Rose Garden spike-the-football ceremony, he bashed the measure behind closed doors as “too mean.” Trump really needs a win on health care — but there is no telling how he will react to the Senate’s measure.
- Follow BuzzFeed News reporters Paul McLeod, Emma Loop, and Ema O’Connor, who will be on Capitol Hill today and will bring you the latest news in this post.
What’s in the Senate’s health bill? Here are six key questions about the GOP plan
Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
Like an M. Night Shyamalan film, the truth of the Senate health bill will only be revealed in the final minutes. After weeks of closed-door meetings, the bill is now being drafted in secrecy by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his staff with consultation from some members. Even several Republican senators have not seen it yet.
McConnell plans to release a draft of the bill this week, the full bill next week, then hold a vote within days. With no real details yet in sight, here are some of the big questions still remaining about what will be in the Senate health care bill.
Read the full story here.
–Paul McLeod
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