IT’S D.O.A. FOR O’CARE FOR O’CARE
Trump will kill parts day he takes over: VP
President-elect Donald Trump’s “first order of business” after being sworn in will be to issue executive actions to undo parts of ObamaCare, his vice president said Wednesday.
“It will literally begin on Day One. Before the end of the day, we do anticipate the president-elect will be in the Oval Office taking action to both repeal executive orders and also set into motion through executive action policies to implement — promises that were made on the campaign trail,” Mike Pence said after meeting with congressional Republicans.
“The first order of business is to repeal and replace ObamaCare. And it needs to be done.”
Trump took to Twitter to caution Republicans not to let Democrats hang the problems with ObamaCare on them.
“Republicans must be careful in that the Dems own the failed ObamaCare disaster, with its poor coverage and massive premium increases ... like the 116% hike in Arizona,” Trump tweeted Wednesday.
“Don’t let the Schumer clowns out of this ... massive increases of ObamaCare will take place this year and Dems are to blame for the mess. It will fall of its own weight - be careful,” he said.
Senate Democratic leader Charles Schumer turned the blame game back on Republicans with a tweet that mocked Trump’s presidential campaign slogan: “Republicans should stop clowning around with America’s health care. Don’t #MakeAmericaSickAgain”
“They want to repeal it and then try to hang it on us. Not going to happen. It’s their responsibility, plain and simple,” Schumer said at a press conference after President Obama met with Democratic lawmakers to discuss preserving his signature achievement.
Obama told fellow Democrats to hold the line when Republicans seek their help combating backlash from voters after they dismantle it, insiders said.
“Repealing the ACA without replacing will bring chaos to the healthcare marketplace,” Obama said, according to tweets from Missouri Rep. Lacy Clay, referring to the plan’s official name, the Affordable Care Act.
Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan said they will deliver an “orderly” replacement plan that won’t cause hardship to the millions currently insured.
Ryan said the repeal would include “transition relief ” intended to help consumers and insurers while they await a replacement, which could take at least two years.
The Senate started the process Wednesday to repeal the 2010 health-care plan by passing a budget resolution that includes language to authorize a repeal of ObamaCare with only a simple majority vote.
Republicans hold that majority with 52 of the Senate’s 100 seats.
The final vote on the budget resolution will likely come next week.