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Trump Vows to Repeal Obamacare, Keep Protections for Pre-Existing Conditions

Paul Ryan said provision is included in GOP's replacement plan

Donald Trump, Paul Ryan
Donald Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan / AP
November 14, 2016

President-elect Donald Trump said he wants to repeal Obamacare and replace it with a plan that would ensure that Americans with pre-existing conditions are still covered.

In an interview on 60 Minutes, Trump said that covering Americans with pre-existing conditions was one of the "strongest assets" of the Affordable Care Act. Trump also said that he would try to keep the part of the law that allows individuals to be covered on their parents' plans until they are 26.

"Adds cost, but it's very much something we're going to try and keep," Trump said.

Trump said there would not be a period of time in which millions of Americans would lose coverage.

"It will be repealed and replaced," Trump said. "And it'll be great health care for much less money. So it'll be better health care, much better, for less money. Not a bad combination."

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R., Wis.) said these provisions are included in the GOP's "A Better Way" replacement plan.

"We agree; it's in our plan," said Ryan. "Donald Trump agrees with this. We need to have a solution for people with pre-existing conditions. In our plan is also allowing younger people up to the age of 26 to stay on their parents' plans so there are aspects that we've all agreed to."

"We can have a health care system in America where everyone—regardless of income or health condition—can get affordable health insurance, can get affordable health care," Ryan said. "This is what we propose."

"We think a patient-centered system is the right way to do that," he said. "And you can have this system without a costly government takeover like Obamacare that is cranking up premiums, that is making deductibles so high, it doesn’t even feel like you have health insurance. Obamacare is failing—it must be replaced."

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.) said that Trump's ideas to keep these provisions are Republican ideas.

"What he really talked about was keeping preexisting conditions and staying on your parents' healthcare plan to 26," McCarthy said. "Those are actually Republicans' ideas and those are in the healthcare replacement plan that Republicans have in 'A Better Way.'"

"So we will repeal and replace Obamacare," he said. "Obamacare is failing, premiums up 25 percent, 16 of the 23 co-ops have failed or are on the verge of it, plans are pulling out, [there is] less choice for the public. It has to change."

Published under: Donald Trump , Obamacare