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Obama Slams Republicans’ Latest Effort to Repeal Affordable Care Act

HeadlineSep 21, 2017

Former President Barack Obama has slammed the Republicans’ latest effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.

Barack Obama: “When I see people trying to undo that hard-won progress, for the 50th or 60th time, with bills that would raise costs or reduce coverage, or roll back protections for older Americans or people with pre-existing conditions, the cancer survivor, the expecting mom or the child with autism or asthma, for whom coverage once again would be almost unattainable, it is aggravating. And all of this being done without any demonstrable economic or actuarial or plain commonsense rationale, it frustrates.”

That was former President Obama, speaking Wednesday at an event sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. On Wednesday, the health insurance industry also came out against the Republicans’ plan, known as the Graham-Cassidy bill, warning it could cause chaos in the healthcare industry. Meanwhile, President Trump tweeted a flurry of support for the plan throughout the day, tweeting, “I hope Republican Senators will vote for Graham-Cassidy and fulfill their promise to Repeal & Replace ObamaCare. Money direct to States!’” Later he tweeted, “I would not sign Graham-Cassidy if it did not include coverage of pre-existing conditions. It does! A great Bill. Repeal & Replace.” In fact, healthcare experts say there is no guarantee the Graham-Cassidy bill will protect people with pre-existing conditions.

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