Associated Press Published

Capito Votes for Partial Health Law Repeal; Manchin Votes No

Manchin / Capito

West Virginia’s Republican U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito has voted to repeal parts of the Affordable Care Act in legislation defeated in a 51-49 floor vote early Friday.

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin voted against the latest amendment proposed by the Senate’s majority Republican leadership.

It would have repealed a mandate in President Barack Obama’s law that most people get health insurance, suspended a requirement that larger companies offer employee coverage, suspended a tax on medical devices and denied federal payments to Planned Parenthood for a year.

Manchin and Capito both said afterward they’re ready to work on bipartisan fixes.

About 525,000 of West Virginians are enrolled in Medicaid. About 175,000 joined under the act’s expansion.

About 35,000 others got coverage through the act’s insurance exchange, where premiums have risen sharply.