[{"innerBlocks":[],"name":"core\/freeform","postId":3706,"blockType":{"name":"core\/freeform","keywords":[],"attributes":{"content":{"type":"string","source":"raw"},"lock":{"type":"object"}},"providesContext":[],"usesContext":[],"selectors":[],"supports":{"className":false,"customClassName":false,"reusable":false},"styles":[],"variations":[],"apiVersion":3,"title":"Classic","description":"Use the classic WordPress editor.","category":"text"},"originalContent":"(Bloomberg) \u2013 President Donald Trump said the process for coming up with a replacement for the Affordable Care Act could stretch into 2018, a longer time frame than he previously indicated.

Trump\u2019s comments came in an interview with Fox News\u2019 Bill O\u2019Reilly that aired on Sunday during the Super Bowl pregame show. O\u2019Reilly asked the president whether he would introduce a health plan this year to replace Obamacare, which Trump has long vowed to quickly repeal as one of his top priorities.

\u201cMaybe it\u2019ll take till some time into next year, but we are certainly going to be in the process,\u201d Trump said in the interview. \u201cI would like to say by the end of the year, at least the rudiments, but we should have something within the year and the following year.\u201d

Trump said in January that he\u2019d put forward his plans for replacing the law, also called Obamacare, once Tom Price, his pick to run the Department of Health and Human Services, is confirmed. The Senate is expected to vote on Price later this week.

ACA.Healthcare.jpg<\/bsp-image>\u201cWe\u2019re going to be submitting, as soon as our secretary is approved, almost simultaneously, shortly thereafter, a plan,\u201d Trump said at a Jan. 11 press conference. \u201cIt\u2019ll be repeal and replace. It will be essentially simultaneously.\u201d

Trump\u2019s remarks are the latest sign of the challenges Republican lawmakers are facing as they work to figure out how to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, after seven years of calling for Barack Obama\u2019s health law to be scuttled. Congress held several hearings last week on aspects of the law, while insurers have pressed for certainty so they can draw up business plans for next year.

\u2018Repair\u2019?<\/b>

Some Republicans have begun discussing \u201crepairing\u201d Obamacare, rather than simply repealing and replacing it, as they work to figure out how to make sure insurance coverage isn\u2019t jeopardized for the roughly 20 million people who\u2019ve gained it under the law. Senator Lamar Alexander, a Tennessee Republican, said late Sunday that a vote to begin repealing Obamacare will take place this year, though it may not take effect until later.

\u201cWhile Congress will vote to repeal and replace Obamacare this year, the repeal of Obamacare finally will become effective when our reforms are implemented and we have concrete, practical alternatives,\u201d he wrote in a blog post. \u201cWe will repair the damage that Obamacare has caused millions of Americans. We will do that by replacing Obamacare with better, lower-cost alternatives and repealing the parts of Obamacare that have caused the damage.\u201d

Orderly Transition<\/b>

Vice President Mike Pence said in a Sunday interview that the president remains committed to an \u201corderly transition\u201d from Obamacare to its as-yet-unnamed replacement. Pence said he interprets the \u201crepair\u201d language being used by Alexander and others as referring to that orderly transition.

\u201cAt the same time that we repeal Obamacare, we\u2019re going through both executive action and through legislation, set into motion a replacement of Obamacare,\u201d Pence told George Stephanopoulos on ABC\u2019s \u201cThis Week.\u201d \u201cWe can lower the cost of health insurance without growing the size of government with mandates and with taxes. The president\u2019s committed to that.\u201d

The House Energy and Commerce Committee\u2019s health panel examined drafts of four bills on Thursday that could serve as a basis for some of the earliest moves by Republicans to replace pieces of the law.

Meanwhile, insurance industry representatives told a Senate panel led by Alexander that they need to know the rules for 2018 during the next few months or they may not be able to offer Obamacare plans for the year. Compounding the difficulties for insurers, a preliminary enrollment report showed that enrollment in ACA health plans declined this year, compared to 2016. Insurers had hoped that climbing sign-ups could improve their financial results from sales of Obamacare plans.

In the interview with O\u2019Reilly that aired Sunday, Trump said little about his plans to replace Obamacare. He said though that the health law is a \u201cdisaster\u201d and \u201cdoesn\u2019t work.\u201d

\u201cWe are putting in a wonderful plan,\u201d Trump said.","saveContent":"(Bloomberg) \u2013 President Donald Trump said the process for coming up with a replacement for the Affordable Care Act could stretch into 2018, a longer time frame than he previously indicated.

Trump\u2019s comments came in an interview with Fox News\u2019 Bill O\u2019Reilly that aired on Sunday during the Super Bowl pregame show. O\u2019Reilly asked the president whether he would introduce a health plan this year to replace Obamacare, which Trump has long vowed to quickly repeal as one of his top priorities.

\u201cMaybe it\u2019ll take till some time into next year, but we are certainly going to be in the process,\u201d Trump said in the interview. \u201cI would like to say by the end of the year, at least the rudiments, but we should have something within the year and the following year.\u201d

Trump said in January that he\u2019d put forward his plans for replacing the law, also called Obamacare, once Tom Price, his pick to run the Department of Health and Human Services, is confirmed. The Senate is expected to vote on Price later this week.

ACA.Healthcare.jpg<\/bsp-image>\u201cWe\u2019re going to be submitting, as soon as our secretary is approved, almost simultaneously, shortly thereafter, a plan,\u201d Trump said at a Jan. 11 press conference. \u201cIt\u2019ll be repeal and replace. It will be essentially simultaneously.\u201d

Trump\u2019s remarks are the latest sign of the challenges Republican lawmakers are facing as they work to figure out how to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, after seven years of calling for Barack Obama\u2019s health law to be scuttled. Congress held several hearings last week on aspects of the law, while insurers have pressed for certainty so they can draw up business plans for next year.

\u2018Repair\u2019?<\/b>

Some Republicans have begun discussing \u201crepairing\u201d Obamacare, rather than simply repealing and replacing it, as they work to figure out how to make sure insurance coverage isn\u2019t jeopardized for the roughly 20 million people who\u2019ve gained it under the law. Senator Lamar Alexander, a Tennessee Republican, said late Sunday that a vote to begin repealing Obamacare will take place this year, though it may not take effect until later.

\u201cWhile Congress will vote to repeal and replace Obamacare this year, the repeal of Obamacare finally will become effective when our reforms are implemented and we have concrete, practical alternatives,\u201d he wrote in a blog post. \u201cWe will repair the damage that Obamacare has caused millions of Americans. We will do that by replacing Obamacare with better, lower-cost alternatives and repealing the parts of Obamacare that have caused the damage.\u201d

Orderly Transition<\/b>

Vice President Mike Pence said in a Sunday interview that the president remains committed to an \u201corderly transition\u201d from Obamacare to its as-yet-unnamed replacement. Pence said he interprets the \u201crepair\u201d language being used by Alexander and others as referring to that orderly transition.

\u201cAt the same time that we repeal Obamacare, we\u2019re going through both executive action and through legislation, set into motion a replacement of Obamacare,\u201d Pence told George Stephanopoulos on ABC\u2019s \u201cThis Week.\u201d \u201cWe can lower the cost of health insurance without growing the size of government with mandates and with taxes. The president\u2019s committed to that.\u201d

The House Energy and Commerce Committee\u2019s health panel examined drafts of four bills on Thursday that could serve as a basis for some of the earliest moves by Republicans to replace pieces of the law.

Meanwhile, insurance industry representatives told a Senate panel led by Alexander that they need to know the rules for 2018 during the next few months or they may not be able to offer Obamacare plans for the year. Compounding the difficulties for insurers, a preliminary enrollment report showed that enrollment in ACA health plans declined this year, compared to 2016. Insurers had hoped that climbing sign-ups could improve their financial results from sales of Obamacare plans.

In the interview with O\u2019Reilly that aired Sunday, Trump said little about his plans to replace Obamacare. He said though that the health law is a \u201cdisaster\u201d and \u201cdoesn\u2019t work.\u201d

\u201cWe are putting in a wonderful plan,\u201d Trump said.","order":0,"get_parent":{},"attributes":[],"attributesType":{"content":{"type":"string","source":"raw"},"lock":{"type":"object"}},"dynamicContent":""}]

Trump says ACA replacement could take until next year

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