WASHINGTON — The American Medical Association told senators Friday that it’s time to stop trying to repeal and replace former president Barack Obama’s health care law.
The nations’ largest doctors group said the Senate should start working instead on improvements to the health system that would increase patients’ access to quality care and limit premium increases.
The AMA made its recommendations in a letter to Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell and minority leader Chuck Schumer.
Republican leaders are struggling to make good on years of promises to scrap Obama’s law. Talks are ongoing and a vote is possible next week on a reworked bill.
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The AMA letter said revisions thus far have failed to correct the core problem in the GOP approach, which is that it would cause millions to lose health coverage.
Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, says he believes there is still a path to getting a health care bill passed, despite ‘‘a handful of holdouts.’’
Cruz said in a Fox News interview Friday that ‘‘there is a path to yes.’’
That path, however, is far from clear. McConnell postponed consideration of a GOP bill again this week after it fell short of the number of votes needed to pass.
Republicans remain divided on the issue, and Democrats are unanimously against efforts to repeal and replace the law.
Cruz says President Trump’s message to lawmakers on health care is clear: ‘‘Get it done. Stop messing around.’’ He adds: ‘‘I think that can happen.’’
While Senate Republicans are expected to vote on some health care legislation next week, GOP leaders have yet to say what will be different about it. Either way, the vote is expected to fail, as things stand now. Too many conservatives and moderates remain uncomfortable with the options, but another failed vote won’t make the party’s health care problems go away.
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Enrollment in the state-based marketplaces — where about 11 million Americans buy insurance — will start in just three months, and hundreds of counties will have just one or no plan options under present conditions.
It will be looking at the first full sign-up season with Republicans holding both the White House and Congress.