Like the rest of Congress, neither of Ohio’s senators is quite sure how the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act is going to take shape. As M.L. Schultze reports, they clearly have differing perspectives on what the final shape should be.
Adding it up
Portman has put his name to an amendment that would provide $100 billion dollars to transition people from Medicaid to private insurance. He also backs more money for opioid treatment, and lengthening the time to end Medicaid expansion from three years to six.
“All these added up help ensure that these folks have good healthcare options whether it’s under current Medicaid structure of under the Affordable Care options in the private market.”
Spitting in the ocean
But Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown says amendments like Portman’s are being slathered onto a deeply flawed and partisan bill.
“I work with Sen. Portman on a lot of issues. I stand though with Gov. Kasich on this, where Gov. Kasich has said these patchwork amendments -- where after cutting Medicaid -- putting $50 billion into opioid treatment is like spitting in the ocean.”
Portman said he would prefer a bill that goes through traditional committee hearings and said he’s unsure what the alternative will look like.
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