Health Bill Remains In Limbo, GOP Still Divided

May 02--Hopes for a revamped Obamacare bill veered from optimistic to doubtful in a matter of hours yesterday as the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress scrambled to build support for the massive health care legislation.

The White House began the day voicing confidence that the bill -- which failed to gain enough support last month and again last week -- would fare better this week.

"Do we have the votes for health care? I think we do," National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn told "CBS This Morning." "This is going to be a great week. We're going to get health care down to the floor of the House. We're convinced we've got the votes."

White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, when asked if the bill had enough votes, told CBS: "I think we will. I think it will happen this week."

But as morning turned to afternoon, White House press secretary Sean Spicer was far more cautious.

"We're getting closer and closer every day, so I would assume that today we're closer than we were a week ago," said Spicer. "But we're not there yet."

Congressional Republicans remain divided. CNN reported last night that 21 Republicans have now gone on record opposing the Obamacare replacement bill. If a total of 23 GOPers reject the legislation, it will fail to reach the necessary 216 votes. Some 13 Republican lawmakers were still undecided.

Last month, the bill never reached a vote after House Freedom Caucus members resisted. Last week, they seemed to come around, but moderate GOPers failed to get on board.

One hot-button issue remains covering patients with pre-existing conditions.

Trump said yesterday any final bill must contain that language.

"Pre-existing conditions are in the bill," Trump told CBS' "Face the Nation." "And I mandate it. I said, 'Has to be.' "

Trump vowed to Bloomberg News yesterday that the new bill will be "every bit as good" on pre-existing conditions as Obamacare.

But Spicer told reporters yesterday the White House would not put a timeline on passage of the legislation.

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