Obama tries to save healthcare law

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama will make a short but politically charged trip from the White House to Capitol Hill, calling allied lawmakers to arms in defence of his signature healthcare reforms.

Obama’s eight-year drive to extend medical coverage to tens of millions of Americans will come under sustained assault when Presidentelect Donald Trump takes office January 20 with Republican majorities in both houses of Congress.

In a preemptive strike, the outgoing president will meet Senate and House Democrats, “principally (to) discuss how to counter the stated Republican objective of repealing the Affordable Care Act,” said White House spokesman Josh Earnest. Obama’s rare legislative pilgrimage coincides with a duelling visit to the Congress by Vice-President-elect Mike Pence.

“We’re focused on repealing and replacing Obamacare,” Pence said on Tuesday. “We look forward to legislation that will give us the tools to roll back the avalanche of red tape and regulation that have been stifling American jobs.”

After a crushing election loss, Democrats may have limited options for stalling reforms without significant Republican defections. They also face criticism that Obama’s reforms have led to rising insurance premiums and a string of technical problems. But while Republican opposition to Obamacare is clear, their prescription to fix it is not.

House Speaker Paul Ryan has proposed a tax credit system as a possible replacement, but the costs to government and individuals remains vague. Some Republicans have suggested repealing Obamacare now and replacing it at later, perhaps after the next election. But the White House is betting that Americans voters will react with fury if Trump moves to strip millions of coverage with no viable alternative. — AFP