House Speaker Mike Johnson weighed in on Obamacare at an event in Pennsylvania on Monday, saying there would be “massive” changes to America’s health care system if Donald Trump wins the election.
“Healthcare reform will be a big part of the agenda. “When we say we’re going to have a very aggressive first 100-day agenda, there’s still a lot on the table,” Johnson, R-La., said while campaigning for GOP House candidate Ryan Mackenzie in Bethlehem, according to a video obtained by NBC News.
“No Obamacare?” one attendee asked Johnson, referring to the 2010 law Democrats passed, also known as the Affordable Care Act.
“No Obamacare,” Johnson replied, rolling his eyes. “The AKA is so deeply entrenched that we need major reforms to make this work, and we have lots of ideas on how to do that.”
Johnson made the remarks eight days before the presidential election, in which Kamala Harris and Democrats campaigned to preserve and expand the ACA. Trump, who? He tried to repeal the ACA and failed like the president, there is called to reopen the strugglesaid on the social media platform that “Obamacare is bad.” He promised to replace it, but said only “concepts of the plan” without giving specifics.
Harris insists that Trump’s only plan is to repeal the ACA, which expanded coverage About 50 million people according to 2014 in the United States government officials.
Johnson, who He voted in 2017 A Trump-backed bill to repeal key parts of Obamacare did not publicly call for repealing the Affordable Care Act on Monday. His office declined to provide details when asked what reforms he is eyeing, what parts of the Affordable Care Act he would seek to keep or repeal, or whether he supports extending ACA subsidies that expire at the end of 2025. (Harris and the Democrats). they called to extend this money.)
Johnson took a back-and-forth on health care with an audience at a campaign event in Pennsylvania on Monday, saying that physician members of the House Republican caucus have a “menu of options” for how to change the system and “get the government bureaucrats out of the country.” health care equation.”
He did not detail what changes he would seek, but made it clear that deregulation would be part of it.
“We want to blow the whistle on the regulatory situation. These institutions are armed against the people. It crushes the free market; it is like a boot on the neck of business creators, entrepreneurs and risk takers. And so health care is one of the sectors, and we need all of that,” Johnson said. “And Trump is going to go big. I mean, he’s only going to be around for a little while longer. “.
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., who is running to be the No. 3 GOP leader in the next Congress called for an overhaul of healthcare and extending the Trump tax cuts in one big bill through 2025. It’s unclear who will replace Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., as GOP leader in the Senate next year.
Any serious rollback of the ACA would require Republicans to win the presidency and control of both houses of Congress, as Democrats would block such efforts. It’s also unclear what changes the GOP will make, as some in the party call for turning the page on the ACA fight.
A 2010 law imposed new rules on insurance companies, prohibiting them from reimbursing people with pre-existing conditions or charging sick customers higher prices. It also provided billions of dollars in subsidies for low-income people to buy coverage in private markets while expanding Medicaid eligibility.
Johnson, who has been traveling the country to campaign for GOP House candidates, spoke only broadly at his event Monday.
“If you take the government bureaucrats out of the healthcare equation and you have doctor-patient relationships, it’s better for everyone. More efficient, more effective,” he said. “This is a free market. Trump will be a supporter of the free market.”
The Harris and Trump campaigns are responding
Harris campaign spokeswoman Sarafina Chitika echoed Johnson’s words, warning that “healthcare is on the ballot.”
“Speaker Mike Johnson makes it clear that if Donald Trump wins, he and his Project 2025 allies in Congress will make sure Obamacare doesn’t exist. That means higher health care costs for millions of families and the elimination of protections for Americans with pre-existing conditions like diabetes, asthma or cancer,” he said.
A Johnson spokeswoman responded with a scathing statement accusing the Harris campaign of taking her comments out of context and “lying about Speaker Johnson” out of “desperation.” A spokeswoman said Johnson’s general remarks indicated he “did not make such comments” when he pledged to end the 2010 law if Republicans won.
Caroline Leavitt, the Trump campaign’s national press secretary, tried to distance the former president because of the ACA’s expiration. its long history from achieving this goal. In a presidential debate with Harris last month, Trump said Obamacare was “bad” and “we’ll replace it” Although he said he only had “plan concepts” to do so.
Asked about Johnson’s comments, Leavitt said, “Repealing Obamacare is not President Trump’s policy position,” adding that Trump will “make our health care system better by increasing transparency, promoting choice and competition, and expanding access to new affordable health care and insurance options.” will also improve.”
He did not elaborate on how.