Smith, LoBiondo say they'll oppose GOP health bill

Asbury Park Press - 3/23/2017

March 23--Two Shore-area Republicans on Wednesday said they planned to vote against the Republican health care bill, bucking President Donald Trump and their party's leadership, who have made the legislation a top priority.

Rep. Chris Smith and Rep. Frank LoBiondo said Tuesday they would oppose the bill, saying the GOP proposal wasn't an improvement over the Affordable Care Act in part because of deep cuts to Medicaid.

The proposed legislation would take $880 billion out of Medicaid during the next decade, hurting people with disabilities for whom Smith has been an advocate during his career.

"The overriding concern I have is the Medicaid expansion being significantly altered," Smith told the Asbury Park Press. "It affects so many of our disabled individuals and families, and the working poor."

Smith and LoBiondo announced their decision as the GOP leaders in the House of Representatives planned to vote Thursday on the American Health Care Act, a bill that would repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare. Smith and LoBiondo join Rep. Leonard Lance, a Republican from Hunterdon County, as "no" votes on the bill. It would take only 22 Republican "no" votes -- assuming all Democrats oppose -- to block the bill.

It wasn't clear if Republicans had enough votes to pass it. The president, along with Speaker Paul Ryan, have tried to rally their party, but the bill has been criticized by lawmakers from both sides of the issue. Some, like Smith, say they want to protect Medicaid recipients. Others in the party want to scale back government health assistance further.

LoBiondo, a Republican whose district includes part of Ocean County, bashed Obamacare in a statement, but he said the new proposal doesn't meet the standards of what was promised.

"It is not as good as or better than what we currently have," he said. "Accordingly, I will vote no on this health care plan."

Another Shore-area Republican, Tom MacArthur, said Monday night that he would vote for the bill.

The Affordable Care Act expanded Medicaid to cover consumers with higher incomes. The expansion covers 65,700 adults in Monmouth and Ocean counties, according to an analysis by the New Jersey Policy Perspective, a left-leaning research group.

The federal government pays for 90 percent of the expansion cost.

The Republican bill would take $880 billion out of Medicaid during the next decade. It would reduce the federal deficit by billions of dollars, but it also could saddle New Jersey with more of the cost and likely leave more consumers uninsured.

Smith, whose 4th District includes parts of Monmouth and Ocean counties, had been the target of frequent protests from Obamacare supporters, both at his office in Freehold Township and at meetings with constituents.

Smith said he was no fan of Obamacare. Its premiums and deductibles have made health care for some consumers unaffordable, he said.

But he said he has a close relationship with disability groups, and he thought the replacement bill would hurt them. He began to write his speech opposing the GOP replacement bill on Sunday. And a meeting with Vice President Mike Pence Monday at the Old Executive Office Building didn't change his mind, he said.

"There's serious deficiencies (in the Affordable Care Act)," he said. "I wish they could be (fixed) in a bipartisan way to remedy the situation. That's where goodwill needs to persevere and carping needs to stop."

Republican leaders were meeting Tuesday night with opponents to craft amendments that would convert more members to support the bill. In addition to the New Jersey lawmakers, the House Freedom Caucus -- made up of conservative members -- said they had 25 votes against the bill.

Michael L. Diamond; 732-643-4038; mdiamond@gannettnj.com

___

Visit the Asbury Park Press (Neptune, N.J.) at www.app.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.