The president of the United States on Wednesday said the Democratic Party’s latest health-care bill is “not good” and suggested Republicans could pass their own alternative.
“It’s not a great plan,” Trump said at a news conference, using an acronym for the Senate health care proposal.
“You can’t have two different bills that are good at the same time.”
The president added, “If they come up with another plan, I’m happy to pass it.
I’d like to see it.”
“They’ve done so many things in the past that they just don’t work.”
Trump’s comments came in a news briefing after a White House official told reporters the GOP was in the midst of finalizing its latest health bill.
“I don’t think you can get a bill that’s good enough to pass in a Republican-controlled Congress,” Trump told reporters.
“We’re in the final stages of final approval, and we’re going to pass something good.
I’m going to keep it short and sweet.
I think it’s a great, great bill.”
In a speech at a private fundraiser for Trump on Wednesday, House Speaker Paul Ryan said that “if you’re looking for a solution to the problem that we have with premiums and deductibles, you can’t do that with a bill like this.”
“If you’re in my district, and you need insurance, and the premiums and the deductibles are astronomical, it just won’t be affordable for you,” Ryan said.
“So the best thing to do is have the president come in and talk to you.
The best thing we can do is get a plan that is good, that we can all be proud of.”
Ryan also told reporters, “We don’t need more problems, we need solutions.”
Trump also spoke about health care at a rally for House Democrats in Texas.
“If I can do it in a week, I will,” he said.
Ryan added that “it’s not just about health.
It’s about the economy, the jobs, the future.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., echoed Trump’s sentiments in a statement, saying that Democrats’ bill is bad, and that the GOP’s own legislation is “just as bad.”
“We have heard from the president, and his views are that the Republican bill is the worst bill we’ve seen yet, that it will hurt people and will put millions of people out of work, and it will result in more premiums and more deductibles,” Pelosi said.
