STAT+: Key Senate Republican throws cold water on Affordable Care Act repeal, site-neutral payment policy

WASHINGTON — A key Senate Republican dismissed the idea that the Affordable Care Act can be repealed next Congress, despite former President Trump’s interest in the issue.

If Republicans take control of the Senate after November’s election, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) would likely be in charge of the Senate’s health committee, which would share responsibility for changes to the Affordable Care Act. He said Wednesday morning that any comprehensive health care reforms would have to be bipartisan, and noted that repealing the Affordable Care Act would be a nonstarter among Democrats.

“I think that that would take 60 votes,” Cassidy said in a brief interview with STAT on the sidelines of a health policy conference hosted by Johns Hopkins University. “A comprehensive plan would be difficult to pass, of course, because there’s frankly a pride of authorship on the other side. They would do their best to block any such effort.” 

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