President Donald Trump said Tuesday he was “proud” to support a GOP-authored plan to replace Obamacare.
His remarks at a meeting of Republican House members reflected the most explicit White House endorsement yet of the replacement health care plan, which was formally introduced on Monday evening but has drawn criticism from some conservatives.
“I’m proud to support the replacement plan released by the House of Representatives and encouraged by members of both parties,” Trump said at the meeting, held in the White House East Room.
“We’re going to have something that is going to be much more understood and much more popular than people could even imagine,” Trump said. “This will be a plan where you can choose your doctor. This will be a plan where you can choose your plan. You know what the plan is — this is the plan. We’re going to have a tremendous success. It’s a complicated process, but actually it’s very simple — it’s called good health care.”
Trump’s remarks came as Republicans on Capitol Hill worked to consolidate support around their measure, which would eliminate the individual mandate to obtain health insurance contained in Obamacare. The plan includes tax incentives meant to encourage Americans to purchase coverage.
Trump had not yet weighed in overtly on the Republican plan until Tuesday afternoon. Earlier, he tweeted support for the bill but also suggested there were elements of the measure that could be changed.
“Our wonderful new Healthcare Bill is now out for review and negotiation,” he wrote Tuesday morning.
In his remarks with the Republicans, Trump said the moves on health care would fulfill a key campaign promise, both for himself and for legislators who ran on a promise to scrap the Obama-era health law.
“I really believe we’re going to have tremendous support, not only in this room. I’m seeing it from everybody,” Trump said. “I got elected to a certain extent — I would say a pretty good little chunk — based on repeal and replace Obamacare, and many of you people are in the same boat.”
“Let’s get it done,” he added.