
After opposing health reform for years, Republicans finally proposed their version of health reform in 2014. They called it America’s Health Care Act.
But, despite all their attempts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), their plan failed miserably. What exactly went wrong?
1. Joe Cao of Louisiana
Cao was an unlikely Republican when he won the heavily Democratic 2nd District seat in 2008, unseated the scandal-plagued Rep. William Jefferson who had been investigated for bribery and money laundering. Cao, with a PhD from Fordham University’s Department of Philosophy as well as being an adjunct professor at Loyola University, became the first Vietnamese American elected to Congress; Leo Chiang documented this milestone event with his documentary Mr. Cao Goes to Washington.
As soon as he took office, Cao distinguished himself from his party on health care legislation by voting for an earlier draft version of the Affordable Care Act in 2009. Additionally, he supported provisions that prohibit insurers from denying coverage to people with preexisting conditions or charging more when enrolling (known as community rating). KFF’s July 2019 tracking poll indicates that most Republicans now prioritize keeping these provisions, yet 77 percent also view repealing it as being important goals for future Congresses.
2. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky
Since his initial victory in 1984, McConnell has become both Kentucky’s longest-serving Senator majority leader and most powerful politician. To gain political influence he follows a simple playbook: raise lots of money, identify his opponent(s), and win.
He embraced conservative policies like deregulation, tax cuts and military spending increases while opposing calls to establish stricter campaign finance rules. In 2007, he stood firm against Democratic-authored McCain-Feingold Act while blocking bipartisan efforts at reaching an agreement on limits for campaign spending limits.
He reshaped Kentucky’s courts and tax code, reduced environmental regulations, and prioritized legislation to reduce regulations on community banks and credit unions that serve small businesses and family farms in Kentucky. Furthermore, he was instrumental in protecting Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College’s eligibility for federal student loan and financial aid programs while also securing an exemption for large private college endowments from an excise tax that had recently been implemented by Congress.
3. John McCain of Arizona
John Sidney McCain grew up under the shadow of larger-than-life admirals, living a dramatic life that rivaled anything seen on movie screens. He survived death during his service in Vietnam to emerge as one of the most consequential politicians of his era.
He asserted in his opening remarks that Republicans had always disapproved of Obamacare and never would. Yet that is only partly true. The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee — chaired initially by Edward Kennedy but later by Christopher Dodd — conducted bipartisan meetings and hearings which eventually produced legislation with compromises that many Democrats found unappetizing — including leaving out the public option altogether.
KFF Health Tracking Poll results reveal that, across party lines, most Americans believe it’s very important to keep key provisions of the Affordable Care Act intact – such as guaranteed issue and community rating – while much work remains for Republican leaders to prove they are serious about repealing and replacing Obamacare.
4. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts
Though his political reputation had been severely dented by the Chappaquiddick incident, Kennedy remained dedicated to the Democratic platform and supported many domestic programs. Working closely with Robert, then senator from New York state, Kennedy worked towards passing legislation abolishing immigration quotas to open up opportunities for new generations of immigrants to thrive in America.
He helped draft the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which allows people to keep their health insurance coverage when switching jobs or losing employment, as well as working to lower heating oil costs for low-income families and seniors.
Even though he considered running for president after Mary Jo Kopechne’s death in the Chappaquiddick accident, he ultimately decided not to run in 1972’s election and instead continued his work on multiple important social welfare issues including supporting affordable housing, lowering minimum wages and strengthening FDA regulation of drug safety.