US Healthcare Bill Faces Headwinds Amid New Cost and Coverage Estimates

Washington, DC – A sprawling budget bill currently before the US Senate could lead to nearly 12 million Americans losing health insurance coverage and add an estimated $3.3 trillion (£2.4 trillion) to the national debt, according to new projections. These figures, released by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), a non-partisan federal agency, are set to complicate Republican efforts to pass President Donald Trump’s signature healthcare legislation.

The bill narrowly cleared a preliminary procedural vote on Saturday with a 51-49 margin in the Senate. Republican party leaders are now working to win over wavering lawmakers who have expressed concerns over rising national debt and the proposed cuts to healthcare provisions.

Growing Opposition and Legislative Hurdles

The CBO’s assessment estimates $1 trillion in cuts to healthcare funding if the bill becomes law. This has intensified criticism from Democratic lawmakers, who have consistently opposed the legislation.

Adding to the challenges, Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina announced on Sunday that he would not seek re-election, following his vote against the president’s major legislative initiative.

With a slim 53-seat majority in the Senate, Republicans can only afford three defections if they are to pass the bill, with Vice-President JD Vance holding a potential tie-breaking vote.

Democratic senators are currently utilising chamber rules to force a full reading of the nearly 1,000-page bill, a tactic aimed at delaying a final vote. Lawmakers have 20 hours allocated for debate, and Democrats are expected to use all their allotted time to further stall the process, while Republicans attempt to expedite it.

Should the revised bill pass the Senate, it would still need to return to the House of Representatives for final approval before being sent to the president for his signature. President Trump has pressed for the bill to be passed by a self-imposed July 4th deadline, with the White House characterising a failure to pass it as the “ultimate betrayal.”