A top GOP senator conceded there is “no consensus” among Republicans on what to do about Obamacare.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” that Obamacare has caused a lot of problems on the individual market, which is for people who don’t get insurance through their job.
“Regardless of who was elected president we were going to have to do major repairs of the [Affordable Care Act],” she said.
Collins’ comments come after conservatives have fought with GOP leadership over the type of financial assistance to offer people on the individual market. Some conservative senators and the House Freedom Caucus want to provide tax deductions, while the GOP leadership is eyeing refundable tax credits.
Collins pointed to her own plan with Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., that lets states decide if they want to keep Obamacare intact or move towards other reforms. The plan has gotten severe pushback from conservatives who say it essentially preserves Obamacare.
Collins conceded that healthcare is “very complicated and we shouldn’t rush it. We need to get this right.”
House Speaker Paul Ryan hopes to release an Obamacare replacement plan this week.
