WH praises House ObamaCare repeal bill

The White House  praised the House Republicans’ plan to repeal and replace ObamaCare on Monday, but stopped short of fully endorsing the proposal. 

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said the legislation’s release “marks an important step toward restoring healthcare choices and affordability back to the American people.”

{mosads}“President Trump looks forward to working with both chambers of Congress to repeal and replace ObamaCare,” Spicer added. 

Scrapping President Obama’s signature healthcare law is at the top of the agenda for Trump and congressional Republicans; and the release of the long-awaited bills could build momentum behind the effort.

But the White House is also keeping some distance from the House plan, which faces an uphill path in Congress. 

The two measures would dismantle central elements of ObamaCare, including subsidies to help people buy insurance, Medicaid expansion, as well as taxes and insurance coverage mandates. 

It has exposed significant differences that exist between Republican lawmakers about how to overhaul the healthcare system, especially when it comes to the expansion of Medicaid. 

Four Republican senators penned a letter objecting to an earlier version of the House bill, which gutted the expansion of access to the healthcare program for low-income individuals and families. 

Other Republicans are concerned the costs of the plan could be too high and could blow a hole in the federal budget. A cost estimate was not released with the legislation.