Nickels discusses outlook for AHCA in Senate

Senate politics and procedures are likely to produce an "utterly different version" of the American Health Care Act than what passed the House last week, AHA Executive Vice President Tom Nickels said today, discussing the legislation's outlook at the AHA Annual Membership Meeting in a session with former CNN Washington bureau chief Frank Sesno, director of The George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs. Republican senators, including those from Medicaid expansion states, are likely to play a critical role in drafting the next version of the bill, which currently includes $840 billion in cuts to the Medicaid program, Nickels said. Senate procedures also will require an updated score from the Congressional Budget Office, he noted. With respect to a potential Senate timeline, Nickels said Congress's July and August recess dates could serve as possible targets for a vote. Joining the discussion, Bill McInturff, partner and co-founder of Public Opinion Strategies, said a perceived voter mandate to "repeal Obamacare" influenced House Republicans but that it's too soon to tell how much impact the final legislation will have on the mid-term elections.