President Barack Obama is reportedly slated to join congressional Democrats next week for a meeting centered on protecting the Affordable Care Act from the Republican threat of repeal. Obama will head to Capitol Hill Wednesday to discuss shielding his administration's signature act of health care reform, sources toldPolitico Friday.
The meeting will reportedly take place at 9 a.m. in the Congressional Visitors Center auditorium and will include House and Senate Democrats, a notice distributed Friday said. The 115th Congress will also convene next week, at which point Republicans are expected to immediately start work on repeal efforts.
Speaking at Miami Date College in October, Obama reiterated the importance of continuing down the path set forth by the Affordable Care Act in the years ahead. "Because of this law, because of Obamacare, another 20 million Americans now know the financial security of health insurance," Obama said. "So do another 3 million children, thanks in large part to the Affordable Care Act and the improvements, the enhancements that we made to the Children's Health Insurance Program. And the net result is that never in American history has the uninsured rate been lower than it is today. Never."
As the New York Daily Newsreported Friday, congressional Republicans and the former host of a reality TV show have repeatedly made claims of making "repealing and replacing" the Affordable Care Act a top goal going into 2017. There is currently no consensus, however, on Republicans' plans for a replacement program or how a successful repeal might affect those currently receiving care through the Affordable Care Act.
