Trump: New Health Care Bill To Guarantee Coverage For Pre-Existing Conditions

President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017. (Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool Image via AP)
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President Donald Trump on Sunday made several pledges about the next iteration of the Republican plan to repeal and replace Obamacare, which he said will guarantee health coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.

“The health care bill is going to help my supporters,” Trump said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “Otherwise, I’m not going to sign it.”

He said the bill will drive competition and “set up a pool for the pre-existing conditions so that the premiums can be allowed to fall.”

“This bill is much different than it was a little while ago, okay? This bill has evolved,” he said. “And we didn’t have a failure on the bill. You know, it was reported like a failure. Now, the one thing I wouldn’t have done again is put a timeline.”

In a series of tweets Sunday morning, Trump said that a new plan is “on its way,” but did not specify when.

“So what you’ve just described is the bill that you previously had said you worried wouldn’t help your people,” John Dickerson said.

“No, there were things in the other bill, the first version, which were not as good,” Trump said. “We’re going to drive down premiums. We’re going to drive down deductibles.”

“It’s not going to be left up to the states? Everybody gets pre-existing, no matter where they live?” Dickerson asked. “Guaranteed?”

“No, but the states are also going to have a lot to do with it because we ultimately want to get it back down to the states,” Trump said. “Because if you hurt your knee, honestly, I’d rather have the federal government focused on North Korea, focused on other things, than your knee, okay? Or than your back, as important as your back is.”

“So I’m not hearing you, Mr. President, say there’s a guarantee of pre-existing conditions,” Dickerson pressed.

“We actually have — we actually have a clause that guarantees,” Trump said.

“Okay, excellent. We got there,” Dickerson said.

He went on to ask about Trump’s tax returns, which the President has refused to release, citing an ongoing audit.

“I have been under audit almost, like, since I became famous, okay?” Trump said.

Asked what he has learned in the first 100 days of his presidency that he wishes he knew upon taking office, Trump said: “Well, one of the things that I’ve learned is how dishonest the media is, really.”

“That’s all you’ve learned, about the media? You knew from the campaign about the media. You said it all the time,” Dickerson said. “Give me another thing you learned.”

“Well, I think things generally tend to go a little bit slower than you’d like them to go,” Trump replied.

“Why?” Dickerson asked.

“Just a system. It’s just a very, very bureaucratic system,” Trump said. “I think the rules in Congress and in particular the rules in the Senate are unbelievably archaic and slow-moving.”

Republicans control both chambers of Congress and the White House.

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