Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price wouldn’t say Wednesday whether the Trump administration is backing an Obamacare replacement being written by House Republicans, or when the plan will be ready.
Instead, Price told Fox News’ Brett Baier that lawmakers are “getting very, very close” to a replacement plan.
“I think we’re getting very, very close, we’ve got good input from all individuals across the Hill,” Price said. “There’s unanimity on the principles and now we’ve got to get down to the specifics.”
The plan, which was leaked last week and dated Feb. 10, is stirring up contention among Republicans on Capitol Hill, as conservatives are condeming its refundable tax credits as a government handout. If enough Republicans oppose the plan, it would be difficult for the party to carry out its promises to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.
President Trump appeared to back the idea of tax credits in his address to Congress on Tuesday night, when he outlined a half dozen elements he wants an Obamacare replacement to include. But the White House has otherwise remained silent on whether it will align with House Speaker Paul Ryan on the plan committees are crafting.
Baier also quizzed Price on whether a Republican replacement would ensure as many people are covered as have insurance under Obamacare, which cut the uninsured rate in half.
Price responded that coverage numbers through the healthcare law are already “going down” and that any replacement would compare favorably to that baseline.
“If you compare our plan, as we move forward, to the actual current law we have and the downward trend we have, I think it will show very well,” Price said.
