The U.S. House of Representatives released an official statement noting that the Trump administration is set to complete legislation for Obamacare’s replacement this year. With laws changing the signature healthcare policies of former President Barack Obama, such move indicates that President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans are not turning their backs on their campaign’s promise of altering Obamacare without delay.
"The question is how long does it take to implement the full replacement of Obamacare," House Speaker Paul Ryan said in a news briefing. "We hope to get this done as fast as possible." However, Reuters reported how Trump has been facing difficulties in coming up with an agreed-upon Obamacare replacement that has already allowed 20 million Americans, previously uninsured, to receive health coverage.
Nonetheless, White House spokesman Sean Spicer stated that the Trump administration was "optimistic about getting this thing completed by this year." Taking a step towards the Obamacare replacement, Spicer also noted that Trump believes in lowering drug prices. The president is also expected to do business directly with companies, covering prices that are to be paid through the Medicare insurance program.
According to Spicer, Trump remains determined in making use of his “skills as a businessman” to push drug prices down- a key component in the Obamacare replacement. It also remains of great importance to have confirm U.S. Representative Tom Price as the Department of Health and Human Services secretary as soon as possible for him to take part in changing the healthcare laws.
Despite voting last month to begin working on the Obamacare replacement, the Republicans missed their January 27 deadline. Without drafts, questions have been raised as to how they will manage scrapping the complex law, regardless of their large number in Congress, as pointed out by CNN.
At a previous retreat, Republican leaders suggested that the Congress legislate the retraction sometime in March or April to facilitate “budget reconciliation.” However, other Republicans, such as Rep. Tom McClintock, insisted that it will only bring more challenges to the creation of the Obamacare replacement while “disrupting an already faltering healthcare market.”
