Trump: ‘I’m open’ to ObamaCare deal

President Trump on Thursday indicated an openness to a bipartisan short-term ObamaCare stabilization deal introduced in the Senate.

“We will probably like a very short-term solution until we hit the block grants,” Trump said. “If they can do something like that, I’m open to it.”

Trump reiterated his support for repealing ObamaCare and noted that any deal would have to be short-term because the GOP is on the verge of passing a repeal bill.

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Senate Republicans tried and failed twice to pass ObamaCare repeal legislation this year because they could not get to 51 votes.

The bipartisan deal to stabilize ObamaCare’s markets was introduced Thursday by Senate Health Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and ranking member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) with 24 co-sponsors.

Twelve Republicans and 12 Democrats signed on to the bill, which would continue ObamaCare’s insurer subsidies for two years. The subsidies reimburse insurance companies for helping low-income people afford co-pays and deductibles.

Senate Republicans have said Trump’s support is crucial for the legislation to move forward.

On Wednesday, Trump dealt a major blow to the deal when he said on Twitter that he cannot support “bailing out” insurance companies, which he accused of making huge profits from ObamaCare.

Conservative Republicans have also called the payments a bailout and have pushed for further flexibility for states.

Trump repeated that claim Thursday.

On Wednesday night, a White House official said substantial changes would need to be made in order to get the president’s support, including providing “relief” from ObamaCare’s individual mandate, which requires that people have health insurance.