A former Republican aide on the Senate Finance Committee says Republicans' promise to repeal the Affordable Care Act next year using the budget reconciliation process may run into difficulty because repealing the law would require money be found to pay for it.

Republicans have vowed to repeal the ACA next year if they gain control of the Senate in this fall's elections. Reconciliation would allow the law to be repealed with just 51 votes, rather than the 60 needed to move most legislation in the chamber these days. That scenario also assumes Republicans retain control of the House and capture the White House this November.

Christopher E. Condeluci, now an attorney at Venable, LLP, said Oct. 11 at a conference sponsored by the American Bar Associaton that Republicans would have a difficult time finding ways to offset the savings expected to accrue under the ACA. The Congressional Budget Office has said repealing the ACA would result increase the federal budget deficit $109 billion from 2013 to 2022.

"It's going to be a tight rope walk if and when Republicans go down this road," Condeluci said. .