US Senate steps on gas in drive to abolish ACA

Even before the new US President has been inaugurated, the health care provision introduced to ensure affordable health care for millions of poorer Americans – and heavily criticized by Donald Trump during his election campaign – appears to be on its way out.

It follows a vote late on Wednesday which saw 51 Senators to 48 voting to pass a budget which instructs committees to write measures ending large parts of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This health insurance scheme is often called ‘Obamacare,’ having been one of the pillars of Barack Obama’s domestic policy.

Protests by Democratic Senators at the potential impact on as many as 20 million Americans who have been insured by the ACA were ignored as the budget was approved, an action which, the New York Times explains, sets the stage for a reconciliation bill that can then be used to repeal significant parts of the health law and, critically, is immune from being blocked.