Obamacare repeal could die in Senate without changes, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson says

March 10--Legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act looks "dead on arrival" if changes aren't made before the measure reaches the U.S. Senate, Sen. Bill Nelson told reporters Friday.

"It does so many crazy things," the Florida Democrat said during a stop in his Jacksonville office, that the bill pending in the U.S. House of Representatives would harm ordinary Americans and create political problems in lawmakers' home states.

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One big problem would be finding money for Medicaid, Nelson said. The bill rolled out this week would distribute Medicaid funds to states on a per-person rate based on each state's spending in the last budget year.

Through 2020, the repeal bill would keep paying for expanded Medicaid enrollments allowed by the the act -- Obamacare -- but would shrink federal support after that.

Nelson said that change and other parts of the repeal bill would lead to increased numbers of people who need Medicaid coverage while states will be looking for ways to pay the bill.

Nelson, who supported Obamacare, pointed to concerns voiced last month at the National Governors Association about how to pay for health care for the poorest people.

He said Congress would be smarter to fix problems in Obamacare carefully than to throw out the system and start over, and said he doubts the repeal bill can become law without significant change. He said about eight Republican senators have expressed doubts about voting for the repeal bill without important changes to it.

He also faulted reported budget plans to partially pay for President Donald Trump's planned border wall along Mexico by trimming $1.3 billion from the U.S. Coast Guard's budget.

"The Florida delegation better watch their P's and Q's if they vote to cut the Coast Guard," Nelson said, adding roughly 40 percent of the agency's activity nationally happens in this state.

He said the cuts could also affect Navy units around Jacksonville, noting Coast Guard crews perform anti-drug and anti-smuggling patrols that would fall to the Navy without them.

He said he's also concerned about suggestions to shrink funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service, saying Floridians count on both agencies, especially during hurricane seasons.

Nelson, a 16-year veteran, will seek another six-year term next year, and could face Republican challengers including term-limited Gov. Rick Scott. Nelson said he's keenly interested in challengers, but the best step he can take to win another term is to do a good job now.

Steve Patterson: (904) 359-4263

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