In a fiery address delivered in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, former President Donald Trump took aim at the Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as Obamacare. Trump criticized the health care legislation, alleging it was designed to benefit insurance companies, not the American public.
His remarks came on the heels of his announcement to convene a meeting with health insurance firms to discuss potential price reductions. Meanwhile, House Republicans have forwarded legislation to the Senate aimed at slashing health care costs, intensifying the ongoing debate over health care reform.
Trump lambasted the Affordable Care Act, stating, “The so-called Unaffordable Care Act, better known as Barack Hussein Obamacare, was crafted to make insurance companies wealthy. It offered poor health care at an exorbitant price, and as you can see, the Democrats are responsible for the significant rise in premiums.”
He continued his critique by asserting, “Obamacare was never beneficial. It was enacted for the advantage of insurance companies, who exert complete control over the Democrats.”
Amidst the political tug-of-war, Democrats recently sought to extend COVID-era subsidies for Obamacare, a demand made during a 43-day government shutdown that began in October. The temporary funding measure that Trump signed on November 13 is set to lapse at the end of January. Trump warned that Democrats might once again threaten a government shutdown to secure an extension of these subsidies.
“This could lead to a strike on January 30,” Trump cautioned. “Another shutdown looms because Democrats are entirely under the influence of wealthy insurance companies.”
“That’s why you could have a strike on January 30. You could have another shutdown because the Democrats are totally in the hands of — they’re totally controlled by the insurance companies, big wealthy companies,” he said.
“Again, I want the money to go directly to the people so you can buy your own health care, and you’ll get much better health care at a much lower price, and the only losers will be the insurance companies that have gotten rich,” he added.
During an announcement earlier Friday of nine more deals with pharmaceutical companies to drastically lower prescription prices, marking the 6th to 14th such agreements he reached since late September, Trump said he plans to convene a meeting with insurance companies soon to push for lower prices for consumers.
“I’m going to call a meeting of the insurance companies. I’m going to see if they get their price down, to put it very bluntly,” he said.
Trump said a meeting could take place in Florida while he is in Mar-a-Lago, or it could be back in Washington, DC, the first week he returns to the White House, noting large insurance companies have received “far more money than they’re entitled to.”
