Politics: The Senate just rejected a plan to repeal Obamacare without a replacement

The repeal bill will go up as part of a series of afternoon votes. It will require 60 votes to pass.

The Senate on Wednesday voted down legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act without an immediate replacement.

The legislation needed a simple majority to pass. It didn't succeed, after seven Republican senators voted against the plan along with all Democrats. In total, 45 voted in favor and 55 against.

The bill, the "Obamacare Repeal Reconciliation Act," was introduced into the healthcare debate that began Tuesday by Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, who has been a proponent of a straight Obamacare repeal.

Here's what was the Obamacare Repeal Reconciliation Act:

• It's is nearly identical to the bill that was vetoed by President Barack Obama in 2015.
• The legislation would repeal all the provisions put in place by the ACA, including key taxes and tax credits.
• It also would repeal the Medicaid expansion that some states opted into.
• It — like the "skinny repeal" plan that's also gaining traction in the Senate — would get rid of mandates for employers and individuals to provide and have insurance.
• The legislation would prevent Medicaid from funding Planned Parenthood for a year, and wouldn't allow premium tax credits to fund abortions. Including sections of the bill would require the bill to have 60 votes to avoid a filibuster, according to the Senate parliamentarian.
• The repeal would begin in 2020.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, 17 million fewer Americans would have health insurance in 2018 if such a plan became law, a number that would grow to 32 million by 2026. By 2026, health insurance premiums are expected to double. Cuts to Medicaid would hit $842 billion by 2026.

The repeal bill will go up as part of a series of afternoon votes. It will require 60 votes to pass. Read Full Story