The Affordable Care Act needs to be reformed, but it can’t just be taken away with no recourse for those Americans who got coverage through the law, Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich said Sunday.
In an interview on CBS News, Kasich said Obamacare is in trouble and there’s no way to dispute that. However, the solution is not simply repealing the law with no replacement already set and ready to go, he said.
“The program needs reform. If you look over at the exchange side, some of these companies are melting down, and you don’t want these exchanges to collapse,” he said. “You also don’t want to be in a position where you don’t cover these 20 million Americans.”
Kasich said the fight in Congress and the White House over whether to repeal and immediately replace; repeal and then replace later; or to simply repair the law, is misguided. The argument only has one answer for the failed presidential candidate: It must be replaced immediately.
“Where do the mentally ill go, where do the drug addicted go?” Kasich asked. “People are watching. I don’t think they mind reform, but don’t take everything away.”
Kasich said the big question in Washington should be whether Democrats plan on working with Republicans on reforming the healthcare system or if they’re going to obstruct the entire way.
He said partisanship is killing the atmosphere of deal-making in Washington, and Democrats should play some role in the latest healthcare fight.
“The question is, ‘Are Democrats going to work with Republicans to fix this system?'” he said. “What I’m hearing is, no, you Republicans didn’t work with us when we did Obamacare and we’re not going to work with you. It’s kind of fifth-grade stuff and what’s at risk is all these people.”
