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McConnell included a version of the idea in the bill, which was enough to win Cruz’s support. But Lee pointedly held out.

He said in a statement on Thursday that he still was not convinced that the bill had improved.

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“I will need time to study the new version and speak with experts about whether it does enough to lower health insurance premiums for middle-class families,” he wrote.

Bill Cassidy (R-La.)
The first-term senator has worked with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on an alternative to the Senate leadership bill. He remains undecided but expressed concerns about the June draft that there were “things in this bill that adversely affect my state, that are peculiar to my state.”

Cassidy also has said any bill he votes for must pass the “Jimmy Kimmel test,” named for the late-night talk show host who delivered a famous rant against the House version of the Obamacare repeal. The host decried that version because it contained language allowing states to give insurance companies permission to impose a penalty based on health to people who let their policies lapse and then try to sign up again.

So for clues as to how Cassidy will vote this week, perhaps reporters should consult Kimmel.[lz_pagination]