Lou Barletta opposes GOP Obamacare repeal bill

March 21--Pennsylvania congressman Lou Barletta says he cannot support the House Republican measure to repeal Obamacare, a decision he announced late Monday after changes intended to shore up support were revealed.

Barletta, whose 11th District includes part of Carbon County and who was one of Trump's earliest supporter in Congress, said he remains committed to repealing and replacing Obamacare.

But he's concerned about the proposal expected for a House vote on Thursday, saying it does not have "sufficient safeguards" to verify that those applying for health insurance tax credits are lawfully in the country.

Barletta said that under Obamacare, a half-million people received a total of $750 million in health care subsidies, "even though the recipients could not prove their lawful presence in the United States."

"I cannot vote for a replacement plan that fails to address this problem," Barletta said in a statement.

He added: "I would have a hard time explaining to families in the 11th District -- many of whom are still struggling to put food on the table and foot the costs of their own health care bills -- why they should be helping to pay for the health expenses of someone who broke the law to get here and has no right to those federal dollars."

In addition to Barletta, three other Republican congressmen from Pennsylvania had said prior to Monday evening's changes that they would not vote for the bill as it was drafted: U.S. Reps. Scott Perry of York County, G.T. Thompson of Centre County, and Brian Fitzpatrick of Bucks County.

House Republicans can only lose 21 votes in order for the bill to pass with the required 216 votes without help from Democrats.

Some of the changes added late Monday were intended to sway conservatives, such as speeding up when the Obamacare taxes expire and letting states impose a work requirement on some Medicaid recipients.

But the Washington Post reported that other changes were targeted at moderates, including a proposal to boost tax credits for older Americans who are projected to see their premium costs rise under the bill.

Among the centrist Republicans who have expressed major concerns about the tax credits and the intended plan to halt Medicaid expansion is Lehigh Valley congressman Charlie Dent. He and other moderates in the Tuesday Group caucus, which he co-chairs, are set to meet with the president on the health care bill this afternoon.

The entire House Republican conference also will hear from President Trump this morning, when he meets with them privately on Capitol Hill.

___

(c)2017 The Morning Call (Allentown, Pa.)

Visit The Morning Call (Allentown, Pa.) at www.mcall.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.