11th hour chance to defund Planned Parenthood may lie in the Senate’s hands

It’s the 11th hour for Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Dean Heller (R-NV), and Ron Johnson (R-WI), who have introduced the last chance for an Affordable Care Act (ACA) repeal in this budget year. The plan would also defund Planned Parenthood for a year and restrict health care plans that cover abortions, except under very limited circumstances.

Dubbed the “Graham-Cassidy-Heller Amendment,” it would repeal much of the ACA and replace it with money for the states to create their own plans.

Politico reports:

These block grants, to the tune of $500 billion, will allow the states to “repeal, repair or keep their ObamaCare programs,” The Hill reports. “If you like ObamaCare, you can keep it. If you want to replace it, you can,” Graham said.

The 140-page amendment explicitly excludes Planned Parenthood and some other facilities which commit abortions from receiving federal money. Listed as “prohibited entities,” the bill describes these facilities as follows:

In short, the Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson repeal bill would prohibit Planned Parenthood from receiving any government reimbursements as long as the abortion corporation is committing abortions. It would also prohibit tax credits for insurance plans covering abortions.

Planned Parenthood blasted the bill on social media saying:

Planned Parenthood also re-fired its old, tired scare tactics, saying:

The Graham-Cassidy Trumpcare bill fails the @jimmykimmel test. Millions won’t be able to afford health care. #ProtectOurCare #IStandWithPP https://t.co/Ed58O3RvHn

— Planned Parenthood (@PPact) September 13, 2017

The fact is, millions cannot afford health care under Obamacare either. As TIME magazine reported last year, Obamacare rates soared for those not receiving subsidies:

That list includes astounding figures such as in the state of Oklahoma:

The repeal of much of the ACA would allow the states to use their block grants to meet the individualized needs of their citizens, divvying up money based on a formula that takes into consideration the region, population and other important factors. Block grants would prove far more equalizing than the current system that over-pays a handful of states — namely, New York, California, Massachusetts, and Maryland. The Weekly Standard explains:

The Health Affairs blog notes:

According to Breitbart, the amendment has the support of 14 governors. President Trump also issued a statement supporting the amendment:

Despite the increasing support for the senators’ work, the amendment may face an uphill battle as the deadline for a vote on the Senate floor is September 30. On that date, the current fiscal year’s reconciliation bill period expires. However, as the Weekly Standard reports:

The amendment has just over two weeks to come to the floor and pass. It needs only a simple majority of 51 votes. If it receives 50 votes, Vice President Mike Pence can break the tie. Upon passage of this bill, America’s top abortion corporation would finally be defunded, allowing taxpayer funds to be redirected to clinics that actually serve the health and medical needs of women, children, and families — all without continuing to aid Planned Parenthood in ending the life of a new baby every 97 seconds.