To express the sense of the Senate that Medicaid expansion is a priority and that Obamacare must be improved.

SA 288. Mr. Heller submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to
amendment SA 267 proposed by Mr. McConnell to the bill H.R. 1628, to
provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2017; which was ordered to lie
on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place, insert the following:

SEC. ___. SENSE OF THE SENATE.

It is the Sense of the Senate that--
(1) the committee of jurisdiction of the Senate--
(A) should review the issue of Medicaid expansion and
coverage for low-income Americans, and the incentives such
expansion provides States for certain services;
(B) should consider legislation that provides incentives
for States to prioritize Medicaid services for individuals
who have the greatest medical need, including individuals
with disabilities;
(C) should not consider legislation that reduces or
eliminates benefits or coverage for individuals who are
currently eligible for Medicaid;
(D) should not consider legislation that prevents or
discourages a State from expanding its Medicaid program to
include groups or individuals or types of services that are
operational under current law; and
(E) should not consider legislation that shifts costs to
States to cover such care;
(2) Obamacare should be repealed because it increases
health care costs, limits patient choice of health plans and
doctors, forces Americans to buy insurance that they do not
want, cannot afford, or may not be able to access, and
increases taxes on middle class families, which is evidenced
by the facts that--
(A) premiums for health plans offered on the Federal
Exchange have doubled on average over the last 4 years, and
those increases are projected to continue;
(B) 70 percent of counties have only a few options for
Obamacare insurance in 2017, and at least 40 counties are
expected to have zero insurers planning on their Exchange for
2018;
(C) 2,300,000 Americans on the Exchange are projected to
have only one insurer to choose from for plan year 2018; and
(D) the Joint Committee on Taxation has identified
significant and widespread tax increases on individuals
earning less than$200,000; and
(3) Obamacare should be replaced with patient-centered
legislation that--
(A) provides access to quality, affordable private health
care coverage for Americans and their families by increasing
competition, State flexibility, and individual choice; and
(B) strengthens Medicaid and empowers States through
increased flexibility to best meet the needs of each State's
population.
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