Fox News host confronts Republicans over concerns Obamacare is at risk

Fox News host Shannon Bream confronted Representative Elise Stefanik, Republican of New York, on Fox News Sunday on concerns that Obamacare is under threat, however the congresswoman assured Americans that the GOP wants to “improve health care,” without citing a plan for how to do it.

Obamacare, officially known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law by former President Barack Obama in 2010. More than 21 million Americans now have insurance through the ACA , NPR reported on Saturday. The ACA gives low-income Americans a choice of health care by providing subsidies based on their income to help reduce costs.

On Monday, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Republican of Louisiana and a strong ally of former President Donald Trump, the GOP presidential candidate, told a crowd at a campaign event in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, for the candidate of GOP House Ryan Mackenzie, “Health care reform will be a big part of the program.”

One attendee asked Johnson, “No Obamacare?” In it, Johnson said, “No Obamacare” while rolling his eyes, according to a video obtained by NBC News, which published an article about his comments on Tuesday.

The Speaker of the House added: “The ACA is entrenched, we need big changes to make this work, and we have a lot of ideas to do that.”

In a statement to NBC News on Wednesday after the article was published, Johnson said, “The article and the article make it clear that I made no such promise to end Obamacare, and in fact believed that the plan “deeply rooted” in our health care system.”

In response to Johnson’s comments, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat, said USA Today“House Republicans have been serious about repealing the Affordable Care Act since 2010, when it was first enacted. It’s clear as day to the American people, and now it’s confirmed by members much of the House Republican leadership.”

He added: “They intend to eliminate the Affordable Care Act as we know it.”

When Bream asked Stefanik on Sunday about these concerns, quoting Jeffries, the House Republican caucus chairman said, “We want to improve health care. We want to reduce costs. We want to make sure people have experience, whether you’re in the countryside, cities, or towns That’s it [former] President Trump is focused on it. “

“If you talk to anybody, Shannon, they continue to see their health care costs go up and down,” the queen added. [Vice President and 2024 Democratic presidential nominee] Kamala Harris government failed [President] Joe Biden.”

Newsweek reached Stefanik’s office by phone and the Trump campaign by email outside business hours Sunday afternoon.

According to KFF, an organization that publishes options in health care, insurance premiums are increasing by about 4 percent during the 2025 open enrollment period, which began on Friday. However, KFF said on its website, “Most subscribers will not have to pay that increase because of the enhanced subsidies from the Budget Reduction Act,” which Biden signed into law in 2022.

According to KFF, as of April, 62 percent of adults have a favorable view of the ACA compared to 37 percent who do not.

On Sunday, Stefanik did not specify what Trump’s plan for health care reform is. The former president tried and failed to repeal and replace the ACA in 2017 and criticized Obamacare during this election cycle.

‘Strategic Ideas’

During Trump’s debate against Harris in September, he called Obamacare “lousy,” and added, “It’s not very good today and, what I said, that if we come up with something, we’re still working on it.” in things, we will do it and we will change it.”

Asked to clarify whether he has a health care plan, Trump said, “I have ideas for a plan.”

He added: “I am not the president now. But if we come up with something else, I will only change it if we come up with something better and cheaper.”

On Thursday, Harris told reporters, “I’ve said throughout the campaign, it’s clear that among the choices in this election is whether or not we continue with the Affordable Care Act,” he said. adding that Trump has repeatedly tried to eliminate. Obamacare. “And now we have further confirmation of that program from his sponsor, the speaker of the House.”

Trump tweeted on Public Truth on Thursday in response to Harris’ comments, “Lyin’ Kamala is giving a Press Conference now, saying I want to end the Affordable Care Act. I didn’t talk about to do so, I never thought of such a thing.”

Meanwhile, Trump campaign press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “Repealing Obamacare is not President Trump’s policy position,” when asked about Johnson’s comments in Bethlehem.

He added that Trump “will make our health care system better by increasing transparency, promoting choice and competition, and expanding access to new health care and insurance options. “