Kasich, Portman decline to back Senate GOP health care bill to replace Obamacare

[TexasTowelie]

COLUMBUS - Ohio's top-ranking Republicans declined Thursday to endorse Senate Republicans' bill to replace Obamacare, saying they had "concerns" about a plan to phase out Medicaid expansion.

Gov. John Kasich and Sen. Rob Portman both support the expansion of Medicaid to low-income, childless adults in Ohio. Nearly a third of Ohioans getting coverage under the health care program have a substance abuse or dependence problem, the state says. Since Ohio continues to fight one of the nation's worst heroin epidemics, it's important for these people to have coverage for addiction treatment, Kasich and Portman believe.

The Senate bill's passage came into question hours after leaders unveiled it Thursday, as four conservative members of the chamber – enough to doom it to failure – said they were not ready to vote against the bill as written.

Portman refrained from condemning the bill outright.

"I continue to have real concerns about the Medicaid policies in this bill, especially those that impact drug treatment at a time when Ohio is facing an opioid epidemic," Portman said in a statement. He plans to review an upcoming cost analysis of the bill and will decide whether to vote on it based on the bill's final language, he said.

Read more: http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2017/06/22/kasich-portman-oppose-medicaid-health-care-bill/421225001/

[Freethinker65]

1. Portman will review the consequences to himself if he were to vote no and act accordingly

Bullshit posturing. If the bill harms your constituents (hint- it does), you should vote no regardless of your wealthy donor bankrollers.

[exboyfil]

2. Portman will fold like a cheap suit

[wryter2000]

3. Portman and Heller have both come out against it now

Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski are also possible no's. If a few of the ultra-right four also remain against it (Rand Paul, for example), this monstrosity might fail.

[irisblue]

4. I really want to believe Portman(heartless mf) will vote no

I trust him in this as far as I can throw the Ohio State House, rotunda and the statues on grounds.

[mopinko]

5. i love all the concern about drug addicts now that

we are talking about white people.

[Ligyron]

7. Bingo

[broadcaster90210]

6. Oh they'll come around.

This is just for show.

[BigmanPigman]

8. He's one of the senators I called a few weeks ago.

I called the 11 who "said" they may vote "No". I have not heard from most of them in the media lately, only the far right crazies. If you say he "may" reconsider that tells me he will fall in line with other rest of the cruel bastards. Oh goodie!