Health Care

Trump: I’m watching Democrats defending ObamaCare ‘lie’

by Max Greenwood 05/04/17 01:57 PM CDT

President Trump took aim at Democratic lawmakers defending the Affordable Care Act on Thursday, ripping their speeches on the House floor as “a lie.”

“I am watching the Democrats trying to defend the ‘you can keep you doctor, you can keep your plan & premiums will go down’ ObamaCare lie,” Trump wrote on Twitter.

The tweet came shortly before a House vote on a GOP plan to repeal and replace ObamaCare. The vote is expected to come down to the wire. No Democrats are expected to vote for the plan, and 18 Republicans have said they will oppose it. The GOP can only afford 21 defections for the bill to pass.

The president previously blasted ObamaCare in a series of tweets, saying the former president’s signature healthcare legislation is “dead.”

He touted the GOP healthcare plan, saying it will “lower premiums & deductibles – and be great healthcare.”

The president pushed back his meeting in New York with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull until later Thursday. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Trump is remaining in Washington for “meetings” and will meet with Turnbull after dinner, instead of before.

A correspondent for NewsHour tweeted that buses were spotted outside the U.S. House.

{mosads}The GOP’s American Health Care Act marks the GOP’s second attempt in the Trump administration to replace former President Barack Obama’s signature healthcare law. The first iteration of the bill was pulled from consideration in March over internal Republican opposition.

The current bill, however, has been amended to make it more palatable for conservatives.

The legislation includes a provision allowing states to waive ObamaCare’s rule preventing insurers from charging patients with pre-existing conditions more for their coverage.

Another amendment meant to woo moderates adds $8 billion over five years to help customers with pre-existing conditions pay for their insurance — although critics say that’s not nearly enough to fund the “high-risk pools” for people who won’t be able to afford insurance because of pre-existing conditions.