Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellMitch McConnellTrumps isolation grows Ellison: Trump has 'level of sympathy' for neo-Nazis, white supremacists Trump touts endorsement of second-place finisher in Alabama primary MORE (R-Ky.) acknowledgedMondaythat Congress's next steps on healthcare are unclear after Republicans failed to repeal ObamaCare.

"Obviously we had a setback on the effort to make dramatic changes on ObamaCare. The way forward now is somewhat murky," the Senate GOP leader said at a Chamber of Commerce event inKentucky with Treasury Secretary Steven MnuchinSteven Terner MnuchinLiberal coalition launches 'Stop Trump Tax Cuts' website Trump touts infrastructure order, but veers off message Looming debt limit fight rattles Wall Street MORE.

A GOP push to pass a "skinny repeal" of ObamaCare failedin a dramatic 49-51 vote before the August recess. A broader repeal proposal and a measure to repeal and replace theAffordable Care Actsimultaneouslyalso failed to get enoughvotes to pass inthe Senate.

McConnell added that lawmakers were "going to see" whatnegotiationsbetween Sens. Lamar AlexanderAndrew (Lamar) Lamar AlexanderTrump to make ObamaCare payments to insurers for August CBO: ObamaCare premiums could rise 20 percent if Trump ends payments CBO to release report Tuesday on ending ObamaCare insurer payments MORE (R-Tenn.) and Patty MurrayPatty MurrayCBO to release report Tuesday on ending ObamaCare insurer payments OPINION | Progressives, now's your chance to secure healthcare for all McConnell open to bipartisan deal on health insurance payments MORE (D-Wash.), the top two members of the Senate's healthcare committee, aimed atstabilizingthe individual health insurance market could produce.

"We have ... collapsing individual insurance markets around the country. Requests to continue to subsidize the insurance companies. It's a pretty controversial subject to subsidize insurance companies without any reforms," the GOP senator said.

He added that Democrats "have been pretty uninterested in any reforms," but the two parties will need to try to negotiate when they get back to Washington next month.

"So when we get back after Labor Day we'll have to sit down and talk to themand see ... what the way forward might be," he said.

Alexander and Murray are expected to holda series of bipartisan Health Committee hearings next month.

Their goal is to craft an insurance stabilization bill by mid-Septemberthat is expected to include money for ObamaCare's cost-sharing reduction payments, which President Trump has threatened to cut off.

McConnell has previously acknowledged that the next steps on healthcare are unclear afterRepublicans campaigned for years on repealing and replacing the Obama-era law.

If the Democrats are willing to support some real reforms, rather than just an insurance company bailout, I would be willing to take a look at it, McConnell toldreporters earlier this monthahead of the annual Fancy Farm Picnic.

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McConnell: Path on healthcare 'murky' - The Hill (blog)