Dive Brief:
- On Friday, President Barack Obama vetoed the reconcilation bill that was intended to repeal major bits of the ACA.
- Congressional Republicans accomplished their goal in passing the bill this week after the House approved it 240-181, with representatives voting closely along party lines.
- The move in sending the bill to Obama was primarily symbolic given a veto was fully expected.
- House Speaker Paul Ryan stated an override would be attempted, but such an effort is not expected to draw sufficient support in both houses.
Dive Insight:
The 63rd try was the charm for Republicans, who had previously voted unsuccessfully 62 times to get other ACA repeals through both the House and Senate, as Modern Healthcare notes.
While the bill was never expected to be signed into law, it fulfilled the promise by Republicans to fight the ACA and hinted at what could be in store if a Republican takes the presidency in this year's upcoming election.
“House Republicans are starting 2016 unified in opposition to this law and focused on putting together a patient-centered alternative that grants Americans freedom in their health care choices,” Ryan announced in a prepared statement. No details were released about the potential alternative.