If the Trump administration repeals the ACA, the time it would take to draft a sustainable replacement could be several years, Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee chairman said Thursday, according to the Morning Consult.
Sen. Alexander said replacing the ACA could take longer than the education bill he worked to pass in 2015, which was six years in the making.
"That was hard, but this is even more difficult because we spent six years as the Hatfields and the McCoys adopting our positions and shooting at each other," he said, according to the report. "So building consensus in an environment like that is hard to do. But if we keep in mind that we're trying to help people who are hurting and trying to keep people from being hurt, then that will encourage consensus."
The senator said he expects the HELP Committee, as well as Senate Finance Committee and Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wy.) to play major roles in drafting the ACA replacement legislation, according to the report.
While Republicans could use the process of reconciliation to repeal major parts of the ACA, Sen. Alexander said he expects a total repeal and replacement bill would require 60 votes, meaning at least eight Democrats would need to vote in favor of the new law.
"Before the process is over, we'll need a consensus," he said, the Morning Consult reported. "I imagine this will take several years to completely make that sort of transition to make sure we do no harm, create a good healthcare system that everyone has access to, and that we repeal the parts of Obamacare that need to be repealed."