Obama spokesman: Congress needs ‘political courage’ to improve healthcare

Former President Obama’s spokesman on Friday urged Congress to work together to improve current healthcare, but emphasized that ObamaCare has made America “stronger and healthier.”

“President Obama has always said we should build on this law, just as members of both parties worked together to improve Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid over the years,” Kevin Lewis said in a statement.

He went on to express the former president’s hope that Congress could work together in the future, after a Republican-led effort to repeal ObamaCare failed in the Senate overnight.

{mosads}“President Obama still believes that it is possible for Congress to demonstrate the necessary bipartisanship and political courage to keep delivering on the promise of quality, affordable health insurance for every American,” Lewis said.

Senate Republicans were unable to muster the 51 votes needed to pass a scaled-down version of an ObamaCare repeal bill early Friday morning in what may be the final nail in the coffin of the GOP’s seven-year pledge to repeal and replace the healthcare law.

Democrats — and Obama — have openly acknowledged changes to the healthcare system are needed, but have staunchly opposed any measure from Republicans that would repeal it.

There’s hope among some Senate members that bipartisan talks can begin in earnest now that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said “it’s time to move on” after three GOP senators voted against a final attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act.