GOP senator: Not important for Trump to understand healthcare policy details

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) on Thursday said he doesn’t think it’s important for President Trump to understand the policy details of the Senate GOP’s healthcare reform bill, only the principles behind it.

When asked on MSNBC if he believes Trump understands the intricacies of healthcare policy after claiming in an interview that people can obtain health insurance for just $12 a year, Cassidy said he thinks the president is about “broad principles” rather than details. 

“I don’t think it’s important for him to understand the policy of this bill,” Cassidy said. “What’s important for him is to understand the principle. His principle is that there should be a replace associated with a repeal.”

{mosads}Trump said, in a wide-ranging interview with The New York Times on Wednesday following the collapse of the Senate GOP’s ObamaCare replacement bill, that “you start working and you’re paying $12 a year for insurance, and by the time you’re 70, you get a nice plan.”

“Here’s something where you walk up and say, ‘I want my insurance.’ It’s a very tough deal, but it is something that we’re doing a good job of,” he added.

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) expressed confusion over the comments on Thursday, saying reporters should ask Trump about the basics of healthcare policy.

“NYT interview great, but let’s ask him the basics: ‘what’s Medicaid?’ Or ‘what do people pay on the exchange?’ Or ‘what’s an exchange?'” Schatz tweeted.  

NYT interview great, but let’s ask him the basics: “what’s Medicaid?” Or “what do people pay on the exchange?” Or “what’s an exchange?”

— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) July 20, 2017

A Republican senator who supports the Senate GOP’s healthcare bill also reportedly did not think Trump has a clear understanding of the plan last month.

The New York Times reported that a senator left a White House meeting with the feeling that the president didn’t fully understand some basic parts of the plan, citing an aide who received a detailed readout of the exchange.

The senator felt Trump “seemed especially confused” after a moderate Republican said those who were against the bill would say it appeared to be a “massive tax break for the wealthy,” according to the Times.