Former President Barack Obama came out Thursday to defend his landmark legislative accomplishment, the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.
With Obamacare under attack from Republicans attempting to repeal it, and the White House working with House Speaker Paul Ryan (R., Wis.) to secure enough votes to move a replacement plan forward, Obama came out swinging at Republicans and President Donald Trump, the Washinton Times reports.
"The reality is clear: America is stronger because of the Affordable Care Act," said Obama on the seventh anniversary of the bill's signing.
Obama said the law has saved the lives of 100,000 Americans and given health insurance to millions of people, arguing that it is not in a "death spiral" as critics have said. The former president did acknowledge that health care premiums are on the rise under Obamacare but said "the vast majority" have not seen premiums skyrocket.
"While it's true that some premiums have risen, the vast majority of marketplace enrollees have experienced no average premium hike at all," he said,
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer pushed back against Obama's comments.
"President Obama must be feeling the time is up," he said.
Spicer said Obama was downplaying the goals of the law and the criticisms that have surrounded it.
The House of Representatives plans to vote Friday on the American Health Care Act, the House GOP leadership plan to replace Obamacare, which Trump supports. Ryan and the White House, however, may not have enough votes to pass the bill through the House, according to reports.