The US Senate has taken the first concrete step towards dismantling Obamacare.<br /><br /> It has voted to instruct key committees to draft legislation repealing the US president’s signature health insurance programme.<br /><br /> BREAKING: Republican-led Senate takes first step forward on dismantling President Barack Obama’s health care law. https://t.co/507y0hOoLG— The Associated Press (@AP) January 12, 2017<br /><br /> How did they vote?<br /><br /> 51-48<br /><br /> The resolution instructs committees of the House and Senate to draft repeal legislation by a target date of January 27.<br /><br /> Both chambers will then need to approve the resulting legislation before any repeal comes into effect.<br /><br /> Senate Republicans are using special budget proceedings that allow them to repeal Obamacare by a simple majority.<br /><br /> This way, they don’t need Democratic votes.<br /><br /> Republicans have a majority of 52 votes in the 100-seat Senate. <br /><br /> One Republican, Rand Paul, voted no on Thursday.<br /><br /> U.S. Senate begins the vote to repeal Obamacare 51-48. They are acting on this quickly even before Obama is out of office. #Obamacare pic.twitter.com/xxTS7W1U7g— The Millennial Post (@tmillennialpost) January 6, 2017<br /><br /> What happens now?<br /><br /> The resolution now goes to the House of Representatives. <br /><br /> It is expected to vote this week.<br /><br /> Scrapping Obamacare is a top priority for the Republican majorities in both chambers, as well as Republican President-elect, Donald Trump.<br /><br /> How long will the whole process take?<br /><br /> Republicans have said the process of repealing Obamacare could take months.<br /><br /> Developing a replacement could take longer, they add.<br /><br /> However, they are under pressure from Trump to act fast.<br /><br /> He said on Wednesday that the repeal and replacement should happen “essentially simultaneously.”<br /><br /> What is Obamacare?<br /><br /> An estimated 20 million previously uninsured Americans gained health coverage through the Affordable Care Act, to give it the official term.<br /><br /> Coverage was extended by expanding Medicaid and through online exchanges where consumers can receive basic incomes subsidies.<br /><br /> Why was it passed?<br /><br /> Democrats passed the Affordable Care Act in 2010, over united Republican opposition.<br /><br /> They say the act is insuring more Americans and helping to slow the growth in healthcare spending.<br /><br /> However, Republicans say the system is not working.<br /><br /> The average Obamacare premimum is set to rise 25% in 2017.<br /><br /> Why do the Republicans want to repeal it?<br /><br /> They say it amounts to “government overreach”.<br /><br /> They have launched repeated legal and legislative efforts to unravel the law.<br /><br /> They want to replace it by giving states, not the federal government, more control.<br /><br /> However, in recent days, some Republicans have expressed concern about the party’s current strategy of voting for a repeal without having a consensus replacement plan ready.<br /><br /> Replacing, repealing Obamacare at same time ‘ideal’: top Trump aide https://t.co/gF3NfIfWK1— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) January 8, 2017<br /><br /> Trump has a choice: He can admit he lied or tell Republicans
