Trump says Obamacare in 'death spiral,' urges Congress to act

[June 08, 2017]  By Jeff Mason

CINCINNATI (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the Obamacare healthcare system is in a "death spiral" and must be reformed soon, a day after insurer Anthem Inc announced it would withdraw from the Ohio healthcare insurance exchange next year.

Trump has struggled to get a healthcare package passed by the U.S. Congress even though his Republican Party controls both the House of Representatives and the Senate. A House plan was approved on May 4, and the Senate is trying to pass a version this summer.

Trump, visiting Cincinnati, Ohio, to tout his infrastructure plan, met with several people who dislike President Obama's signature healthcare law, formally known as the Affordable Care Act, and afterward called on Congress to act.

"Obamacare is in a total death spiral and the problems will only get worse if Congress fails to act," he said.

Trump spoke a day after Anthem announced it would not participate in the Obamacare insurance exchanges next year in Ohio, a potentially crippling blow to the healthcare system.

Trump said opposition from Democrats needed to be overcome in order to gain passage of a new law.

President Donald Trump (C), flanked by the families of business people he says were harmed by Obamacare, high-fives a young boy as he arrives to deliver remarks on the U.S. health care system at Cincinnati Municipal Lunken Airport in Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. June 7, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

"It's only obstruction from the Democrats. The Democrats are destroying healthcare," he said. "It's only going to be Republicans or bust. The Democrats are really in our way."

(Writing by Steve Holland; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)

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