That the final version of the legislation contains the defunding Planned Parenthood provision is a sign that McConnell believes he has enough votes to get to that magic 50 number, which will allow pro-life vice president Mike Pence to break the tie and approve the legislation. -LifeNews.com

Aimee Herd : Jun 22, 2017 : LifeNews.com, FoxNews.com

(Washington, DC)—The big reveal of the “discussion draft” of the Senate’s “Better Care Reconciliation Act“—a reworking of the House’s healthcare bill—made its debut on Thursday amid both criticism and praise. (Photo: Public Domain/via Pixabay)

Democratic leaders Pelosi and Schumer condemned the legislation, although they obviously did not yet read it, since it had just been posted on the Senate Committee website.

According to a LifeNews article, the provision to defund Planned Parenthood—the largest abortion provider in the U.S.—almost didn’t make it to the final version, as some pro-abortion Republicans in the Senate stated they would not vote for it if it did.

However, sources report that the defunding provision is indeed a part of the legislation.

The LifeNews report noted: That the final version of the legislation contains the defunding Planned Parenthood provision is a sign that McConnell believes he has enough votes to get to that magic 50 number, which will allow pro-life vice president Mike Pence to break the tie and approve the legislation.

As for what else the 142-page bill contains, it does seem to go a long way toward eliminating the worst of Obamacare, in that it ends the “individual mandate,” stopping the tax penalty imposed on people who don’t buy insurance, and “would repeal tax increases Obama’s law imposed on higher-income people and medical industry companies to pay for expanded coverage,” according to a Fox News report.

The new Senate healthcare bill protects patients with preexisting conditions, prohibiting states from opting out of those provisions.

The bill reportedly does “phase down” Medicaid, however, according to reports, it would ensure “that those who rely on this program won’t have the rug pulled out from under them.”

Fox News reported that the bill would also:

• Improve the affordability of health insurance by expanding tax-free Health Savings Accounts, repealing ObamaCare taxes, implementing targeted tax credits and empower states to make changes in what markets are available to residents.

• Preserve access to care for Americans with pre-existing conditions, and allow children to stay on their parents’ health insurance through age 26.

• Help stabilize collapsing insurance markets by creating a short-term stabilization fund to provide $15 billion per year in 2018 and 2019 and $10 billion in each of the next two years to address coverage disruption. It would also continue federal assistance to low-income Americans through 2019. (Photo: Aimee Herd-BCN editor)

Click here to read the full Senate draft proposal.

The Senate is expected to vote on the legislation next week.

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