Iowa Republicans vote in favor of Obamacare replacement

After days of uncertainty, all of Iowa's Republican House members voted with their party Thursday on a measure to repeal and replace the 7-year-old Affordable Care Act.

There was really no doubt the state's lone Democrat in Congress, Rep. Dave Loebsack of Iowa City, would vote against the bill.

But Rep. Rod Blum, a Dubuque Republican representing the 1st District, hadn't tipped his hand on just what he would do. And Rep. David Young, a Van Meter Republican representing the 3rd District, was on some lists as opposing it.

In the end, Blum and Young - and Rep. Steve King. a Kiron Republican from the 4th District - all voted for the bill.

In a statement after the vote, Blum pointed to the exit of insurers from Iowa's marketplace, saying 'it's clear something needs to be done.”

He joined other Republicans to celebrate the vote at a White House event hosted by President Donald Trump.

Blum said the bill - if passed by the Senate in the weeks to come - will stabilize Iowa's market and increase choices.

'After years of higher costs, fewer choices and broken promises under Obamacare, it's time to enact a better system that actually works for Americans,” he said.

The House's vote comes at a precarious time for Iowa's marketplace. About a month ago, Wellmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield and Aetna both announced they wouldn't take part in the exchange for 2018. And this week, the last statewide insurer, Medica, warned it may not be able to take part, either.

Democrats warned the bill would be catastrophic for Iowans. Loebsack, in a statement, said it jeopardizes the health care of 171,000 residents and 'opens the door to eliminating the guarantee that pre-existing conditions will be covered for 1.3 million Iowans.”

The Republican legislation requires insurers to cover people with pre-existing conditions, but also allows states to let insurance companies charge people more based on their health status. The current law doesn't allow that, and some critics worry it will price people with illnesses out of the market.

Thursday's vote comes just weeks after an initial attempt to get a replacement failed in the House, and the GOP didn't even bring it to a vote.

This time, Republicans worked furiously to get their members on board, including making changes in the legislation to win over GOP holdouts.

In a tweet after the vote, King said he and former Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., wrote the first Obamacare repeal bills seven years ago.

'Her finger joined mine today to push my vote button to dismantle,” King tweeted.

In his own statement, Young acknowledged he had doubts about the bill. But he said he voted for it after modifications he said would lower costs for people with pre-existing conditions.