I am sure it will surprise no one when they pass a watered-down version of Obamacare, while keeping it largely intact, so everyone can declare “victory” and hope those who want TRUE repeal & replace forget about it or simply shut up.
1. The end of the individual mandate.
2. The end of the employer mandate.
3. Allowing insurance carriers the option to offer low-cost catastrophic plans (which is what insurance is supposed to be anyway, isn't it?).
Item #3 is the single biggest one of all, because it gives the opportunity for insurance companies to develop plans that can offer lower premiums to their customers when the 2018 renewals go out later this year.
I agree that both the senate and house bills are warmed over mush.
However, I believe the optics are as important as the substance.
1. The media and the never-trumpers will beat the president 24/7 if something isn’t passed. They WILL say Trump lied to the voters. Make no mistake. They will.
2. It is important to get rid of the name “Obamacare”. The value of that level of media victory should not be ignored. This socialist legacy must be taken down.
3. This will create momentum heading into tax debate and wall debate.
4. We must give the president breathing room to deal with North Korea. NOKO is the most important security issue facing the US since the USSR.
That is what Trump is telling them to do -- to "pass something". Trump was for ObamaCare Lite #1 the House came up with. There are simply too many entrenched RINOs to get anything other than ObamaCare Lite IMO and Trump will likely go along with it as he has no idealogy. He just does deals.