Senate Republicans hesitant to support Medicare overhaul plan

Congressional Republicans are divided on whether to push forward with a Medicare overhaul plan the Republican-controlled House proposed in March, according to The Hill.

The House budget proposal calls for transforming Medicare into a "premium support model" by 2024. Under the model, which has long been championed by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), Medicare recipients would receive premium support to purchase private insurance off of an exchange for Medicare plans.

Although Republicans have targeted Medicare reform as a way of getting federal spending under control, Senate Republicans are unlikely to support the House's overhaul plan as they are defending 24 seats in 2016 and are trying to avoid beginning a battle with Democrats over Medicare ahead of the election, according to the report.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told The Hill he's "up for" reforming Medicare, but believes Senate Republicans are unlikely to support the plan put forth by the House in its budget proposal. Some Senate Republicans disagree with the concept of the House's plan and others likely wouldn't support it because they are up for reelection, Sen. Graham told The Hill.

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