Donald Trump prometió cobertura médica "para todos" en USA

El presidente estadounidense electo Donald Trump quiere un "seguro medico  para todos", dijo al diario The Washington Post, una promesa no menor en un país en el que millones de ciudadanos no están asegurados.

El republicano atacó en repetidas ocasiones la promulgación por el presidente Barack Obama de la ley de salud -la Affordable Care Act (ACA) conocida popularmente como "Obamacare"- e hizo campaña a favor de su derogación y reemplazo, aunque nunca dijo de qué manera.

Ahora, sin embargo, según anunció al diario el sábado por la noche, el magnate quiere "cobertura para todos", al tiempo que exige a las compañías farmacéuticas que negocien directamente con el gobierno los precios de Medicare y Medicaid, los planes gubernamentales para los ciudadanos mayores y los de bajos ingresos, respectivamente.

"Están protegidas políticamente. Pero ya no", dijo Trump refiriéndose a las grandes compañías farmacéuticas.

La Casa Blanca presentó la Obamacare como un éxito, afirmando que más de 20 millones de estadounidenses pasaron a tener cobertura sanitaria gracias a la ley.

“Estoy diciéndoles ahora mismo a los republicanos: si pueden confeccionar un plan que es manifiestamente mejor que Obamacare, entonces apoyaré que se apele (contra su ley de salud) y se sustituya con su plan”, dijo Obama

La Obamacare prohíbe a las compañías aseguradoras negar asistencia sanitaria a causa de condiciones pre-existentes, elimina los topes vitalicios en los seguros y permite a los hijos permanecer en los planes sanitarios de sus padres hasta los 26 años, tres medidas que fueron ampliamente populares en todo el país.

Los demócratas advirtieron que derogar esta ley implicaría dejar a millones de ciudadanos sin cobertura.

Trump vows ‘insurance for everybody’ in Obamacare replacement plan

President-elect Donald Trump said in a weekend interview that he is nearing completion of a plan to replace President Obama’s signature health-care law with the goal of “insurance for everybody,” while also vowing to force drug companies to negotiate directly with the government on prices in Medicare and Medicaid.

Trump declined to reveal specifics in the telephone interview late Saturday with The Washington Post, but any proposals from the incoming president would almost certainly dominate the Republican effort to overhaul federal health policy as he prepares to work with his party’s congressional majorities.

Trump’s plan is likely to face questions from the right, after years of GOP opposition to further expansion of government involvement in the health-care system, and from those on the left, who see his ideas as disruptive to changes brought by the Affordable Care Act that have extended coverage to tens of millions of Americans.

In addition to his replacement plan for the ACA, also known as Obamacare, Trump said he will target pharmaceutical companies over drug prices.

“They’re politically protected, but not anymore,” he said of pharmaceutical companies.

Congress takes key step toward scrapping Obamacare

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A week before President-elect Trump's inauguration, lawmakers passed a preliminary budget measure that starts the process of repealing the Affordable Care Act. (Video: Sarah Parnass/Photo: Matt McClain/The Washington Post)

The objectives of broadening access to insurance and lowering health-care costs have always been in conflict, and it remains unclear how the plan that the incoming administration is designing — or ones that will emerge on Capitol Hill — would address that tension.

In general, congressional GOP plans to replace Obamacare have tended to try to constrain costs by reducing government requirements, such as the medical services that must be provided under health plans sold through the law’s marketplaces and through states’ Medicaid programs. House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) and other Republicans have been talking lately about providing “universal access” to health insurance, instead of universal insurance coverage.

Trump said he expects Republicans in Congress to move quickly and in unison in the coming weeks on other priorities as well, including enacting sweeping tax cuts and beginning the building of a wall along the Mexican border.

Trump warned Republicans that if the party splinters or slows his agenda, he is ready to use the power of the presidency — and Twitter — to usher his legislation to passage.

“The Congress can’t get cold feet because the people will not let that happen,” Trump said during the interview with The Post.

Trump said his plan for replacing most aspects of Obama’s health-care law is all but finished. Although he was coy about its details — “lower numbers, much lower deductibles” — he said he is ready to unveil it alongside Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

“It’s very much formulated down to the final strokes. We haven’t put it in quite yet but we’re going to be doing it soon,” Trump said. He noted that he is waiting for his nominee for secretary of health and human services, Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), to be confirmed. That decision rests with the Senate Finance Committee, which hasn’t scheduled a hearing.