The Trump administration gave the thumbs-up Tuesday morning to a House Republican bill to repeal and replace Obamacare.
The measure, which House leaders rolled out Monday evening, aligns with President Trump’s vision to get rid of the Affordable Care Act and put more “patient-centered” legislation in its place, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price wrote in a letter to committee leaders, obtained by the Washington Examiner.
“Your proposals represent a necessary and important first step toward fulfilling our promises to the American people,” Price wrote to Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady and Energy and Commerce Chairman Greg Walden.
The White House endorsement is an important step forward for the bill, which is already getting pushback from conservatives as not going far enough in getting rid of a healthcare law they’ve hated for years.
Price listed Trump’s top healthcare goals, which include providing tax credits to people without employer-sponsored plans, putting Medicaid on a sustainable path, expanding the use of tax-free health savings accounts, repealing the healthcare law and protecting people with preexisting conditions. The House GOP bill accomplishes those aims, Price wrote.
“We look forward to working with you throughout the legislative process, making technical and appropriate changes, and ensuring eventual arrival of this important bill on the president’s desk,” Price wrote.
