Trump Says Obamacare Extension ‘May Be Necessary’

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that an extension to Obamacare subsidies “may be necessary,” but he would prefer a plan that made direct payments to American citizens instead.

The Affordable Care Act/Obamacare subsidies, set to expire at the end of the year, were the focus of Democrats’ demands during the government shutdown. Some Republicans have pushed to let them expire, while others have argued they should be extended. The Senate is expected to vote on the future of the subsidies sometime in December. 

While en route to Florida on Tuesday night, Trump was asked if he would like to see the Obamacare subsidies extended. 

“I’d rather not. Somebody said I want to extend them for two years. I don’t want to extend them for two years,” Trump told reporters on board Air Force One. “I’d rather not extend them at all. Some kind of an extension may be necessary to get something else done because the ‘Unaffordable Care Act’ has been a disaster.” 

When asked what kind of health care policy he would like to see, Trump said it would involve the federal government giving people money to purchase their own plans. 

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“I like my plan the best. Don’t give any money to the insurance companies; give it to the people directly. Let them buy their own health care plan,” Trump said. “And we’re looking at that. If that can work. We’re looking at that. That’s sort of taking off. That’s what I like. Don’t give the money to the insurance companies.”

Trump said that skyrocketing health care premiums were “the Democrats’ fault,” but added that they were negotiating with him. 

“It’s very interesting,” he said. ”I can’t tell you who, but we have a lot of Democrats who want this plan to happen. They would love to see the money go to the people and the people go out and get their own health care.”

Trump’s comments came after POLITICO reported that he planned to introduce a plan that included a two-year extension of Obamacare subsidies. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday that health care discussions were ongoing. 

“The president is having ongoing conversations with members of his administration, members of Congress, and private sector experts,” she said. “He will make recommendations for healthcare policy improvements in the near future.”

On November 18, Trump said on social media that the only plan he would support or approve would be one that sends “THE MONEY DIRECTLY BACK TO THE PEOPLE, WITH NOTHING GOING TO THE BIG, FAT, RICH INSURANCE COMPANIES, WHO HAVE MADE $TRILLIONS, AND RIPPED OFF AMERICA LONG ENOUGH.”