Trending News Today: AHCA Could Face Significant Obstacles in the Senate

The newly proposed American Health Care Act (AHCA) has drawn bipartisan criticism, with some GOP senators refusing to believe that the House bill will be presented in the Senate. According to The Washington Post, Senate Republicans have voiced concerns over how the bill would affect Medicaid, insurance costs for patients with preexisting conditions, and the breadth of benefits offered in states waiving insurance requirements. However, President Donald Trump and GOP leaders believe that the House bill would not be significantly changed in the Senate.

Yesterday, Democrats criticized the Republican Senate for not including any women in the working group who is crafting a bill to replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). While there are 5 female Republican senators, none were included in the 13-member working group. Democratic senators believe that women’s healthcare is an extremely important topic being addressed by the bill, and as such, this group should be included, The New York Times reported.

In a recent speech in Beverly Hills, CA, Sen Bernie Sanders (I-VT) vowed that with his help, the AHCA will never pass in the Senate, according to the Los Angeles Times. Despite passing in the House, the legislation may meet multiple obstacles, including speculation that the bill could be detrimental to the health of numerous groups. Sanders also acknowledged problems with the ACA that should be addressed by the new bill, and he encouraged California lawmakers to embrace pending single-payer legislation.