Ohio's U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown is criticizing the latest Republican effort to replace Obamacare, saying this new bill is worse than the others before it.
The measure, known as the Graham-Cassidy bill, would put Medicaid money into block grants and turn over control to the states.
In a conference call, Brown questioned the proposal for its lack of attention to the opioid crisis.
“Two hundred thousand Ohioans are getting opioid treatment because they have insurance through the Affordable Care Act. So (the bill) is worse in the sense there’s no opioid dollars in it, which causes concern in states like Ohio and New Hampshire and West Virginia.”
Brown also rejects the phasing out of funding for states like Ohio that chose to expand Medicaid. Republican Sen.Rob Portman has hinted he supports elements of the bill, saying he believes Ohio would be able to distribute resources better than the government.
Portman voted for the early GOP repeal effort
