"I think it is extremely hard, and it's even more hard if you care about maintaining coverage for millions of Americans who need health insurance coverage", said Collins, who is concerned about Medicaid, opioids and the process by which the bill has been written.
The protesters have filled a hallway in one of the Senate office buildings, outside the office of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
However, conservatives also get some of what they want when it comes to overhauling the entire Medicaid program. Corona says Medicaid helps his son Anthony get out of bed every morning. "The way this bill cuts health care is heartless". It would delay the effective date of a tax on high-cost employer-sponsored health coverage, but Republicans plan to offer an amendment next week to eliminate this "Cadillac tax", which is opposed by labor unions and employers. With Obamcare there were multiple public hearings and Republicans still complained Democrats were attempting to rush passage of the plan.
"We live in the wealthiest country on earth".
"I can't guarantee anything, but I hope we're going to surprise you with a really good plan", Trump said at a campaign-style rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Wednesday night.
Departing from the House-approved version of the legislation - which President Donald Trump privately called "mean" last week - the Senate plan would drop the House bill's waivers allowing states to let insurers boost premiums on some people with pre-existing conditions. With a slender 52-48 majority, the party can not afford many defections.
The House bill and the Senate version, like the Affordable Care Act, would provide tens of billions of dollars in tax credits to help people pay insurance premiums. Republicans say it costs too much and involves the federal government too much in health care.
The bill recently passed by the House would leave 23 million more Americans without insurance, compared to the status quo, in 2026, according to an estimate by the Congressional Budget Office.
It faces uniform Democratic opposition. Democrats mocked Republicans in a video on Twitter Wednesday by signing R.S.V.P. cards to the GOP's "secret meeting" with question marks written after the date and location.
Senate health care bill would cut Medicaid, end tax penalty for uninsured
The House's bill had a rocky road to passage, with Speaker Paul Ryan pulling an earlier version before it could reach the floor. In his statement, Sanders also called for Americans to join together to fight back against the "disastrous" bill.
McConnell said a fresh CBO score on the new bill was expected next week, and there will be "robust debate" on the floor. Big cuts to Medicaid further down the road and a repeal of almost all of Obamacare's taxes.
Trump then acknowledged that his criticism may not be doing Senate Republicans any favors in winning over their Democratic colleagues.
The Senate bill would provide money to stabilize the individual insurance market, allotting $15 billion per year in 2018 and 2019 and $10 billion per year in 2020 and 2021. A vote would occur next week after budget analysts assess the package.
The White House said administration officials have been fully briefed on the details of a Senate healthcare bill that has been drafted with unprecedented secrecy, in advance of its planned release early Thursday.
That could include the number of years the bill would take to phase out the extra money Obama provided to expand the federal-state Medicaid program for the poor and disabled to millions of additional low earners.
To help pay for its expanded coverage to around 20 million people, Obama's law increased taxes on higher income people, medical industry companies and others, totaling around $1 trillion over a decade. To pass it, Senate leaders can afford to lose only two Republican votes of the 52 in the chamber.
Just how the Senate would handle Medicaid expansion remains to be seen - leaders are expected to release the plan on Thursday.
It will be interesting to see how moderate Senators like Rob Portman respond to Medicaid cuts that are ultimately more drastic than the House bill.
Senate Republicans are holding a private meeting to hear from leaders about their long-awaited plan for eliminating much of President Barack Obama's health law.
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