President Donald Trump signaled his willingness to work with Senate Republicans to pass their version of Obamacare reform Friday.
The president appeared on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends” Friday morning to discuss the Senate’s first draft of health care reform, which was released to the public Thursday and caused backlash amongst Republicans and Democrats.
WATCH: @POTUS talks health care, Democratic leadership and special elections with @ainsleyearhardt pic.twitter.com/9uc6bYdRbd
— FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) June 23, 2017
.@POTUS reacts to the 4 GOP Senators who’ve come out against health care bill pic.twitter.com/Pe23HdFBLT
— FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) June 23, 2017
Trump said that he knows there is a “very, very narrow path,” for Senate leadership to pass their Obamacare repeal bill, but expressed his willingness to help Senate Republicans pass health care reform.
Four conservative senators — Ted Cruz of Texas, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Mike Lee of Utah and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin — came out in opposition to the bill Thursday afternoon.
“Currently, for a variety of reasons, we are not ready to vote for this bill, but we are open to negotiation and obtaining more information before it is brought to the floor,” the senators said in a statement. “There are provisions in this draft that represent an improvement to our current health care system but it does not appear this draft, as written, will accomplish the most important promise that we made to Americans: to repeal ObamaCare and lower their health care costs.”
The president understands the conservatives’ position but does not believe their hang-ups with the current bill will lead to its demise.
“It’s not that they’re opposed. They’d like to get certain changes. And we’ll see if we can take care of that,” Trump said Friday.
Leading up to the Senate’s unveiling, Trump tweeted Thursday, “I am very supportive of the Senate #Healthcarebill. Look forward to making it really special!”
Trump was able to bridge the divide between moderate and conservative Republicans in the House after the American Health Care Act (AHCA) was pulled in March just hours before it was scheduled to go up for a vote on the House floor. The president then spent weeks personally calling and meeting with wayward Republicans members over Obamacare repeal, which helped lead to the AHCA’s passing in early May.
The Senate bill maintains many features of the AHCA, but differs several ways. (RELATED: Senate Unveils Bill To Repeal And Replace Obamacare)
The Senate’s version rolls back major features of Obamacare and institutes steep cuts to the Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion program. The bill allows states to end the individual and employer mandates imposed under Obamacare. Essentially, the federal government will no longer penalize Americans who choose to not purchase health insurance.
The legislation also keeps two of the most popular provisions of the Affordable Care Act. Under the Senate bill, individuals under the age of 26 would be allowed to stay on their parent’s health insurance. Additionally, it keeps the Obamacare mandate that insurance companies are not allowed to deny, or increase the price of, coverage for individuals with pre-existing conditions.
If it passes in the Senate, the legislation would have to be accepted, and likely modified, by House leadership before it can make its way to the president’s desk for approval.
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