The US Senate has failed to pass a Republican proposal to repeal President Barack Obama's signature healthcare policy without replacing it. The 45 – 55 vote marks the second defeat for Republicans aiming to pass a bill this week to undo the health policy.<br/><br/>The vote came a day after the Senate rejected a plan to repeal and replace the health law with a Republican plan. Senators will now consider a skinny repeal, which would scale back some of the more controversial provisions.<br/><br/>The skinny plan would eliminate unpopular parts of Obamacare – the Affordable Care Act – including the individual mandate requiring all Americans to have health insurance coverage as well as a tax on medical devices.<br/><br/>The defeat is the latest blow for President Donald Trump, who put repealing Obamacare at the centre of his election campaign, and underscores sharp divisions within the Republican Party over a replacement plan.