Walker’s Health Plan Hinges on a Tricky Subsidy Rollback

Republican Scott Walker's plan for repealing and replacing President Barack Obama's health care law hinges on what many see as a nearly insurmountable obstacle — getting 60 votes in the Senate.

Walker's solution for winning over enough lawmakers? In a nutshell, he would first strip away the federal health insurance subsidies that they and their staff get as government employees.

He says that would expose them to the same premium increases that many Americans pay and prompt Congress to act on his plan.

Skepticism abounds, though.

Legal and health policy experts question whether members of Congress would really rally around his initiative after seeing their health subsidies disappear. And they say he wouldn't have the authority as president to wipe out the subsidies with a mere executive order.