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Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, said a delay in the Senate's health care vote as Sen. John McCain recovers from surgery will allow more time for Republicans to see that the bill is not a repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

"I think the longer the bill's out there, the more conservative Republicans are going to discover that it's not (a) repeal. And the more... everybody's going to discover that it keeps the fundamental flaw of Obamacare," Paul said Sunday on "Face the Nation."

Paul added that by keeping insurance mandates from the ACA in the current iteration of the plan, supporters of the bill are "subsidizing the death spiral of Obamacare."

"For all Republicans' complaints about the death spiral of Obamacare, they don't fix it, they simply subsidize it with taxpayer monies, which I just don't agree with at all," he said.

Sen. Rand Paul on "Face the Nation," July 16, 2017

CBS News

Paul made the comments just hours after Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced on Saturday that the Senate will not vote on the health plan this week in McCain's absence. McCain's office said he will recover at home in Arizona following surgery Friday to remove a blood clot from above his left eye. McConnell said in a written statement Saturday evening that the Senate would instead continue their work on "legislative items and nominations."

Paul said on Wednesday he would not support the revised measure that was unveiled earlier in the week, saying it was still not a full repeal of the Affordable Care Act and instead keeps many of Obamacare's taxes and regulations.

But when asked Sunday about his Republican colleagues' amendment to the bill, Paul said that "they're trying to do what's right."

"They're trying to make it legal to sell other insurance policies that don't have the regs," he said about the amendment crafted by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Mike Lee, R-Utah. "But the problem is it's being done in the context of keeping all of the overall regulatory scheme of Obamacare. So you still have the death spiral, even with their amendment."

Paul noted that while the Cruz-Lee amendment would give Americans "more freedoms" and that he's "for their amendment," he still finds that no plan truly fixes "the problem."

Paul had originally advocated for splitting the bill into two pieces in an effort to first repeal the ACA, and replace the law at a later date -- a move President Trump tweeted about in late June, after Republicans first struggled to secure support of their plan.

"If Republican Senators are unable to pass what they are working on now, they should immediately REPEAL, and then REPLACE at a later date!" Mr. Trump tweeted on June 30.

Paul said on Sunday suggested on Sunday letting "everyone in the individual market join a group plan."

"I'd let group plans be formed by anybody that wants to form them. Chamber of Commerce, a farm bureau, credit unions, you name it. I'd let anybody form an association. And what would happen is almost everybody would flee the individual market because it's a terrible place," he said.

The health care debate is expected to continue this week. A Congressional Budget Office report is set to be released in the near future.

If one more senator joins Paul -- and Sen. Susan Collins of Maine -- in not supporting the measure, the bill will be killed.

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As vote delayed, Rand Paul says more Republicans will realize health bill is not a repeal - CBS News

Senator Rand Paul has been traveling around the state to speak with local business leaders about joining health associations. The Bowling Green Republican said Monday thats the best option for businesses and individuals if the Affordable Care Act is repealed.

Senator Paul is a vocal opponent of the ACA, but is also opposed to the current Republican effort to replace the law. He spoke to local business owners about joining health associations in a closed meeting in Bowling Green. He said allowing small groups of businesses to join these larger insurance pools will lower rates for everyone. Paul insisted that at least some of those who are left uninsured by repealing the ACA would still get government help.

For those who are truly disabled, those who cannot work, and those who need health care. We've always taken care of them and we will find a way. Paul said.

Paul said he wants businesses and individuals to have more freedom of choice when it comes to health care.

I think if we let people band together across the country I think we could transform the situation. It wouldn't be a lot of government money it would be basically be just legalizing the formation of these associations. Paul said.

Paul said he doesnt want to encourage able bodied people who can work to rely on government insurance or assistance. He said health associations are the best hope for individuals and small business to keep their rates low and be protected against higher rates because of preexisting conditions.

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Rand Paul meets With Local Businesses To Discuss Health Associations - WKMS

Rand Paul, who opposes the legislation, said a narrower repeal bill could still muster enough Republican votes to clear the Senate. | Getty

Sen. Rand Paul on Sunday said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell likely lacks the support to pass legislation that would repeal and replace Obamacare, after McConnell delayed a vote because of Sen. John McCain's absence following surgery.

In an interview on Fox News Sunday, Paul, who opposes the legislation, said a narrower repeal bill could still muster enough Republican votes to clear the Senate.

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"I still think the entire 52 of us can get together on a more narrow, clean repeal," the Kentucky Republican said.

Another holdout, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), said in an interview on ABC's "This Week" that she didn't know if the Senate could pass the revised bill and that a vote would be "extremely close." She said there are around eight to 10 Republican senators who have "deep concerns."

"But how this would all translate out, I'm not certain, and I never underestimate Leader McConnell's skills," she said.

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In the Fox interview, Paul criticized an amendment from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) that would allow insurers to sell skinnier health plans if they also sell plans compliant with Obamacare.

"The Cruz amendment will still be in the context of having the fundamental flaw of Obamacare, which are all these mandates," he said.

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Originally posted here:
Rand Paul: McConnell doesn't have votes for health care bill - Politico

I remember a lot of outrage about two things when I first ran for office: Obamacare and the bank bailouts. Unfortunately, the Senate healthcare bill combines the worst of those two this time, we're bailing out the big insurance companies.

Why? Partly because of the crony capitalism that pervades the culture in the swamps of Washington.

In other words, is there somehow a right to healthcare that includes a taxpayer obligation to maintain insurance industry profits, which hit a record $15 billion last year?

One would hope not.

But the one certainty of the Senate GOP health plan is that it guarantees a profit for Big Insurance. The same Big Insurance that takes in about $15 billion in profit annually.

Am I the only one in the Senate that finds this brand of crony capitalism unseemly?

We aren't talking about whether or not we take care of the poor or disabled who can't afford their healthcare. We already do that in Medicaid and a host of other direct government programs.

I can have an honest debate with socialists about whether one can have a right that confers an obligation on another individual, but I really can't even admit any intellectual honesty to those in Congress who now argue that the federal government has a responsibility to confer profit to a profitable industry.

The current Senate GOP healthcare bill creates a giant insurance bailout superfund of nearly $200 billion.

Big Insurance whines that they lose money in the individual market, while carefully leaving out the fact that they make enormous profits in group insurance markets that comprise about 90 percent of the private insurance marketplace.

As a believer in free markets and capitalism, I favor no federal government intervention in the insurance marketplace. But if Senate Republicans now accept a prominent role for government in the insurance marketplace, maybe Big Insurance should just be told, "Hey, the insurance stabilization fund' is going to be financed by your $15 billion in profits." Government could simply forbid them from selling group insurance unless they agree to subsidize the individual market.

Now, I don't favor such a mandate. But if I were forced to choose between asking the taxpayer to fork over $200 billion to subsidize Big Insurance or mandating that insurance companies subsidize those with pre-existing conditions, I'd choose taking the money out of their profit, without question.

Once upon a time, there was a classically-liberal intelligentsia in our country who understood what natural rights are.

The economist Walter Williams puts it this way:

In the standard historical usage of the term, a right is something that exists simultaneously among people. A right confers no obligation on another. For example, the right to free speech is something we all possess. My right to free speech imposes no obligation upon another except that of non-interference. Similarly, I have a right to travel freely. That right imposes no obligation upon another except that of non-interference.

As we forgot about what natural liberty means, so have we forgotten what made America great in the first place freedom.

I am disappointed that my colleagues have insufficient confidence in the freedom of the healthcare marketplace, and I am greatly disappointed they've decided there now exists a federal right of insurance companies to have their $15 billion annual profit subsidized by taxpayers.

I really can't describe my level of disappointment. Crony capitalism is enshrined as a "right" by the new GOP Obamacare bill, while that bill does little to nothing to repeal Obamacare or fix our ailing healthcare sector.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is the junior U.S. Senator from Kentucky. You can follow him on Twitter: @RandPaul

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Rand Paul: Crony capitalism isn't a right, so why does Senate healthcare bill give insurance companies the right to ... - Washington Examiner

Sen. Rand Paul. Scott Olson/Getty Images

Sen. Rand Paul, my former boss, made me proud this week. He has become a one man wrecking crew in the Senate Republican leaderships attempt to bail out Obamacare with a bill that neither repeals nor replaces President Obamas destructive health care law.

Sen. Paul wrote earlier this week in Breitbart about the bill, which is titled the Better Care Reconciliation Act: I miss the old days, when Republicans stood for repealing Obamacare. He went on to make the case that now too many Republicans are falling all over themselves to stuff hundreds of billions of taxpayers dollars into a bill that doesnt repeal Obamacare and feeds Big Insurance a huge bailout. Obamacare regulations? Still here. Taxes? Many still in place, totaling hundreds of billions of dollars. Paul points out the many flaws and proves this Republican bill doesnt replace a destructive health care law thats pushing America toward a single-payer health care socialist system.

Bloomberg News describes the bailout provision in the bill: The $50 billion market-stability fund is intended to protect insurers that cover large numbers of customers with more costly health problems from having to raise their premiums for the next four years. This provision is nearly identical to the Obamacare risk corridors provision that many Republicans rightly called a bailout. Yet, now its okay because Republicans are the ones proposing a bailout. The stated goal of the fund is to incentivize insurers to take on high-cost enrollees. In fact, this direct subsidy to insurance companies is better termed a massive bailout that will benefit insurance companiesnot average Americans.

This is reminiscent of a Bush era fumble by the Republican Party in 2008 when they fully supported a bailout of Wall Street with the now infamous Troubled Assets Relieve Program (TARP). Many consider the TARP bill the spark that created the Tea Party and helped get members like Sens. Paul, Mike Lee and Ron Johnson into the Senate and Congressmen like Thomas Massie and Justin Amash into the House. The current health care bill may cause the Republican Partys liberty minded base to respond with Tea Party-like activism and the recruitment of new Republican candidates who keep the promise of a full repeal of Obamacare.

The so called Troubled Assets Relieve Program (TARP) was a massive $450 billion bailout of investors during the subprime mortgage crisis. The Bush administration loaned billions of dollars to our nations biggest banks and investment companies. The goal was for the Federal Reserve to stabilize markets, but in January 2009 the New York Times reported, An overwhelming majority saw the bailout program as a no-strings-attached windfall that could be used to pay down debt, acquire other businesses or invest for the future. The same will happen with insurance companies. They will not use the money to help keep high-risk people on plans; they will use it as if it is a windfall with few strings attached.

Sen. Paul followed up his Breitbart piece with another in the Washington Examiner.In this piece,he argued that the Senate version of the Republican health care reform bill was the embodiment of cronyism. Paul wrote, I remember a lot of outrage about two things when I first ran for office: Obamacare and the bank bailouts. Unfortunately, the Senate health care bill combines the worst of those twothis time, were bailing out the big insurance companies. Why? Partly because of the crony capitalism that pervades the culture in the swamps of Washington. Sen. Paul is spot on. Its outrageous that more conservatives in the Senate arent joining Pauls crusade against Obamacare-lite.

In June, health care expert Mike Cannon of the Cato Institute made the case in the New York Postthat this bill has put off cuts of some Obamacare spending in a way that makes it unlikely that the cuts will ever happen. Cannon wrote, The Senate bill wouldnt even repeal the parts of Obamacare Republicans claim it would. On paper, it would repeal Obamacares expansion of Medicaidbut not until 2024. There will be three federal election cycles, three new Congresses, and potentially a brand new president between now and then. It is almost certain Democrats will control at least one of those Congresses and could then rescind this repeal as if it never happened. Even this bills cuts are illusory and unlikely to ever happen.

Sen. Paul, thank you for being the one member of the Senate who is standing up against cronyism and a bill that fails to repeal and replace Obamacare.

Brian Darling is former Sr. Communications Director and Counsel for Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.). He can be followed on Twitter @BrianHDarling

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Rand Paul on Obamacare-lite Bill: It's a Bailout for Insurance Companies - Observer