Republicans in Congress unveiled their healthcare plan this week, and the proposed legislation has many in Texas scratching their heads. As The Texas Tribune reports, the effects of the proposed plan in the Lone Star State are unclear.
Texas Republicans have been itching to do away with Obamacare since its inception, though the legislation unquestionably benefitted Texans despite lawmakers' resistance. Texas’s uninsured rate has dropped from 22 percent to 17 percent in the last two years, according to census data. Even so, Texas did not see nearly as many benefits as nearby states that fully embraced the law. Arkansas, for example,saw its uninsured rate drop from a Texas-like 23 percent down to 11 percent, after expanding Medicaid under Obamacare.
But, while refusing to accept the old legislation, many members of the Texas GOP delegation in Washington remained largely quiet about the proposed replacement. Senator Ted Cruz was skeptical about the bill, saying he was “still studying the details” of it. Meanwhile, Rep. Louie Gohmert of Tyler said he hoped to see some changes during the amendment process.