After a historically-close procedural vote to allow debate on legislation repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Senate failed to pass any of the several legislative proposals repealing the healthcare law. The final proposal, known as a “skinny” repeal, was voted down in the early morning of July 28 by all Democratic senators and three Republicans - Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and John McCain (R-AZ). According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the measure would have left 16 million more people uninsured by 2026 and increased premiums in the individual market by 20% compared to current law each year between 2018 and 2026.
The Senate’s failure to pass any of the repeal measures is a victory for low income households, including homeless individuals receiving supportive services through Medicaid. Congressional Republicans may still pursue further efforts to repeal the ACA in the near future and may need to work with Democrats on bipartisan legislation to stabilize the insurance markets.