Now that House Republicans have upheld their election promise by voting to repeal President Obama's health care law—a largely symbolic act —their real work begins: trying to replace the law with what Majority Leader Eric Cantor calls a "better alternative." But GOP leaders remain mum on which provisions they intend to replace—or how long it may take to deliver new legislation. On Thursday, the House directed four committees to begin drafting alternative proposals. The resolution got the support of 14 Democrats. The committees don't have to meet a deadline for producing results. They do have to meet a set of broad goals handed down from Republican leadership. Many of these goals mirror President Obama's aims for the existing law: allow patients to keep their existing coverage; expand coverage for more Americans; lower insurance premiums by increasing competition among carriers; give states more flexibility to manage Medicare programs.
