Washington: With little power left in Washington, Democratic leaders on Monday joined hundreds of protesters in various cities to reject the plan of President-elect Donald Trump and Republican congressmen to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) – famously known as ‘Obamacare’.
File pic - Barack Obama
Calling upon the public to take action to prevent the move, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said that everyone will pay the price of killing the ACA, not just people with low incomes but also people who buy their health insurance in the private sector.
More than 10 Democratic lawmakers from the Los Angeles metro area united to denounce Republican plans to try and eliminate the ACA, a move that would affect more than 20 million people around the country.
The lawmakers issued their call to the public to join the protest movements and petition Republican legislators to back off from their idea to repeal the healthcare reform.
Last week, Senate Republicans approved a resolution considered to be a first step on the road to dismantling Obamacare.
Repealing Obamacare without a plan to replace it is not only "irresponsible" but also "dangerous", warned Hispanic Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard.
However, Trump said in an interview published on Monday by The Washington Post that they are working on a plan that would replace Obamacare and provide "coverage for everyone", although he provided no further details.
Congresswoman Linda Sanchez said it was unfair to say that Obama's healthcare reform only helps low-income people.
According to Pelosi, all Americans come out ahead if they are able to buy health insurance even if they have pre-existing conditions.
In addition, she warned that the healthcare industry could be affected if millions of people leave the system, a situation that she said would lead to a rise in premium prices.
Promulgated in 2010, Obamacare makes it obligatory for people to have health insurance and is considered to be Obama's signature legislative achievement as President.
- With IANS Inputs