As Obama Releases Statement Celebrating His Affordable Care Act, the Vote to Repeal It Is Delayed
After a tense meeting between President Donald Trump and House Freedom Caucus, the vote to repeal and replace Obamacare with the American Health Care Act has been delayed. House leadership hopes the vote — which was set to take place on Thursday — will happen on Friday morning, reported CNN.
President Donald Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan have been desperately working to attain the 216 votes they need to pass the bill; however, many Republicans have made it clear that they do not support the legislation.
Seven years ago today, the affordable care act was passed into law
Former President Barack Obama released an official statement celebrating the affordable care act
"The result was the Affordable Care Act, which I signed into law seven years ago today. Thanks to this law, more than twenty million Americans have gained the security and peace of mind of health insurance. Thanks to this law, more than ninety percent of Americans are insured – the highest rate in our history. Thanks to this law, the days when women could be charged more than men and Americans with pre-existing conditions could be denied coverage altogether are relics of the past. Seniors have bigger discounts on their prescription drugs. Young people can stay on their parents’ plans until they turn 26 years old. And Americans who already had insurance received an upgrade as well – from free preventive care, like mammograms and vaccines, to improvements in the quality of care in hospitals that has averted nearly 100,000 deaths so far," Obama said in his official statement obtained by BET.
Based on the public reaction to Trumpcare, its become obvious that many want to keep and revise the ACA
According to CNN, 26 House Republicans said they would vote against the bill. Four more Republicans indicated they were likely going to oppose the legislation.
Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows confirmed there were "30 to 40" votes against the bill.
"We have not gotten enough of our members to get to yes at this point," Meadows said Thursday afternoon.
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Even Obama knows the ACA is not perfect as is, but with some proper work from both parties, the bill can become a piece of legislation everyone can support
"So the reality is clear: America is stronger because of the Affordable Care Act. There will always be work to do to reduce costs, stabilize markets, improve quality, and help the millions of Americans who remain uninsured in states that have so far refused to expand Medicaid. I’ve always said we should build on this law, just as Americans of both parties worked to improve Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid over the years. So if Republicans are serious about lowering costs while expanding coverage to those who need it, and if they’re prepared to work with Democrats and objective evaluators in finding solutions that accomplish those goals – that’s something we all should welcome," Obama said in a statement.
