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| Showdown over US healthcare law looms | Showdown over US healthcare law looms |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| President Barack Obama has met fellow Democrats in Congress to discuss how to protect the healthcare reforms he instituted, often called Obamacare. | President Barack Obama has met fellow Democrats in Congress to discuss how to protect the healthcare reforms he instituted, often called Obamacare. |
| The visit came as Vice President-elect Mike Pence also visited Congress to plan his party's strategy to "repeal and replace" the law. | The visit came as Vice President-elect Mike Pence also visited Congress to plan his party's strategy to "repeal and replace" the law. |
| President-elect Donald Trump criticised the law during his campaign, but later vowed to protect some elements. | President-elect Donald Trump criticised the law during his campaign, but later vowed to protect some elements. |
| He tweeted on Wednesday that Democrats "own the failed ObamaCare disaster". | He tweeted on Wednesday that Democrats "own the failed ObamaCare disaster". |
| In a string of tweets Mr Trump also attacked the "poor coverage" and the rate increases that even some Democrats have criticised in recent months. | In a string of tweets Mr Trump also attacked the "poor coverage" and the rate increases that even some Democrats have criticised in recent months. |
| He cautioned Republicans not to be seen as taking responsibility for the law, which he said "will fall of its own weight - be careful!" | He cautioned Republicans not to be seen as taking responsibility for the law, which he said "will fall of its own weight - be careful!" |
| At the scene - Democrats defiant - Laura Bicker, BBC News, Congress | |
| President Obama is not prepared to give up on his healthcare reforms without a fight. His final visit to Congress is a reminder that in just 16 days time, his fellow Democrats will hold very little political sway in this battle. | |
| But publicly they've decided to talk tough. Congressman Gregory Meeks told me he knows Obamacare has its faults but it brings healthcare to millions who wouldn't otherwise have it. That's a key message Democrats are trying to publicise but it is one they perhaps didn't make clearly enough during the election campaign. | |
| But they also know Republicans have a weak spot. Repealing Obamacare will be the easy part - they have the votes they need and the backing of a president-elect who made it a key campaign pledge. | |
| But so far, no Republican has come forward with a clear replacement plan - Congressman Bruce Westerman told me they don't want to rip up and get rid of all of the reforms. Democrats hope they can at least exploit this to delay any dismantling of the affordable health care act and in doing so preserve President Obama's key legislative achievement. | |
| White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters that during his meetings Mr Obama would urge Democrats to "tell the story of their constituents who benefit" from the Affordable Care Act - the formal name for the US president's signature legislation. | White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters that during his meetings Mr Obama would urge Democrats to "tell the story of their constituents who benefit" from the Affordable Care Act - the formal name for the US president's signature legislation. |
| One Democrat, Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, said that he "can't in good conscience" meet Mr Obama. | One Democrat, Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, said that he "can't in good conscience" meet Mr Obama. |
| "We have the outgoing president coming up here today to talk to only Democrats - only Democrats. We have the incoming vice-president coming up to talk only to Republicans," Senator Manchin told MSNBC on Wednesday morning. | "We have the outgoing president coming up here today to talk to only Democrats - only Democrats. We have the incoming vice-president coming up to talk only to Republicans," Senator Manchin told MSNBC on Wednesday morning. |
| "That's not what makes this place work and that's really what's wrong with the place. I just think it's absolutely wrong." | "That's not what makes this place work and that's really what's wrong with the place. I just think it's absolutely wrong." |
| What is 'Obamacare'? | What is 'Obamacare'? |
| Read more | Read more |
| Mr Trump has called scrapping the 2010 healthcare law a top priority, claiming in October that it will be replaced by something "much better and much less expensive". | Mr Trump has called scrapping the 2010 healthcare law a top priority, claiming in October that it will be replaced by something "much better and much less expensive". |
| But after meeting President Obama in the days following his November victory he vowed to keep some popular elements of the law in place, such as barring insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing medical conditions. | But after meeting President Obama in the days following his November victory he vowed to keep some popular elements of the law in place, such as barring insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing medical conditions. |
| In a press conference after the Republican meeting, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan said that "we don't want to pull the rug out from people while we're replacing this law". | In a press conference after the Republican meeting, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan said that "we don't want to pull the rug out from people while we're replacing this law". |
| "The point is in 2017 we don't want people to be caught with nothing" he said, adding that they want there to be an "orderly transition" in the US healthcare system. | "The point is in 2017 we don't want people to be caught with nothing" he said, adding that they want there to be an "orderly transition" in the US healthcare system. |
| Republican Congressman Raul Labrador, a leading conservative in the House of Representatives, said that lawmakers are looking at six different replacement proposals that will need to be examined by congressional committees. | Republican Congressman Raul Labrador, a leading conservative in the House of Representatives, said that lawmakers are looking at six different replacement proposals that will need to be examined by congressional committees. |
| "There's just going to be hearings. The Democrats spent a lot of time screwing up the economy and screwing up healthcare, and it's going to take us a lot of time trying to rectify it," he said as Congress gathered for their second day of the 115th session. | "There's just going to be hearings. The Democrats spent a lot of time screwing up the economy and screwing up healthcare, and it's going to take us a lot of time trying to rectify it," he said as Congress gathered for their second day of the 115th session. |
| Mr Trump will be sworn-in as the 45th US president on 20 January. | Mr Trump will be sworn-in as the 45th US president on 20 January. |