As President Barack Obama’s term comes to a close this week, President-elect Donald Trump has promised that all U.S. citizens will have health insurance.
Trump stated over the weekend that the plan to replace the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare, is nearly complete and there will be ‘insurance for everybody,’ as well as ‘lower numbers, much lower deductibles.’ Although he has yet to disclose the specifics of the plan, Trump claims the new act will force drug companies to negotiate pharmaceutical prices with the government in regards to Medicare and Medicaid, which will help lower healthcare costs nationally.
“They’re politically protected, but not anymore,” Trump explained when discussing how he plans to target pharmaceutical companies.
Though there are no specific announcements as to what the new healthcare system will entail, Republican congress officials are reportedly discussing providing ‘universal access’ to insurance, rather than the ACA’s universal coverage, and relying more heavily on the private sector.
It is unclear how congressional officials will address the tension over healthcare costs, but the congressional GOP tends to constrain costs through reducing government requirements, including Medicaid programs.
Trump explained he expects the Republicans in Congress to work quickly in the upcoming weeks, as he doesn’t want his agenda to slow due to party disagreements. He warned that he will use the power of his position to move the healthcare act to passage if decisions aren’t made quickly.
“The Congress can’t get cold feet,” he said. “The people will not let that happen.”
Trump’s announcement of the healthcare revision came soon after many GOP members shared their worry that there wasn’t a formal proposal in place as Trump’s term is set to begin in the coming days. Despite this anxiety, Trump is confident that House and Senate members will approve his plan, quickly, despite the time it took to finalize the Affordable Care Act under Obama’s legislation.
