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The Latest: Donnelly opposes GOP health care repeal bill

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The Latest on Indiana officials reaction to Republican's effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act (all times local):

5:05 p.m.

Indiana Sen. Joe Donnelly says he opposes a last-ditch Republican effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

The Democrat said in a statement Wednesday that a bill by GOP Sens. Bill Cassidy and Lindsey Graham "would harm Hoosiers." His statement follows Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb's signing of a letter with 14 other GOP governors backing the proposal.

Donnelly called on the Senate to work in a bipartisan fashion to make improvements to former President Barack Obama's health care law. Donnelly says the current proposal is a "partisan" effort that would force people to lose coverage and raise health care costs.

Indiana relies on "Obamacare" for the vast majority of funding for the Healthy Indiana Plan, which insures more than 400,000 low-income people. The Republican proposal would replace that money with block grants, which some estimates indicate would slash funding for the program.

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1:55 p.m.

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb has joined 14 other Republican governors in backing a last-ditch GOP effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

The governors sent a letter Tuesday to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, writing that they "appreciate" the bill by GOP Sens. Bill Cassidy and Lindsey Graham.

Indiana relies on former President Barack Obama's signature law for the vast majority of funding for the Healthy Indiana Plan, which insures more than 400,000 low-income people. The Republican proposal would replace that money with block grants, which some estimates indicate would slash funding for the program.

The GOP governors said "adequately funded" federal grants to states "are the last, best hope" to replace Obama's law.

The letter also called on the Senate to "move quickly" to repeal and replace "Obamacare."

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