South Dakota's John Thune, the number-three Republican in the Senate, who attended the lunch meeting, told reporters that President Trump was open to suggestions that some federal "cost-sharing payments" to health insurers under the PPACA continue in the near term.
The president didn't elaborate on his remark about adding funding to the GOP's health plan, but it could be geared toward the iffy prospects the AHCA is expected to face in the Senate - where Republicans hold a four-seat advantage over Democrats and GOP support for the bill is less certain. "He talked about making sure that we have a bill that protects people with preexisting conditions".
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other leaders have reportedly been crafting the bill with a small group of GOP senators. The white men in suits cheered while Trump spoke as if they had just written the Magna Carta.
One source said Trump called the House bill "mean, mean, mean" and said, "We need to be more generous, more kind".
Their descriptions of Trump's words differed slightly.
"He made pretty clear that he thinks the House bill leaves people - many of which probably make up his base - in a bad place", one congressional source with direct knowledge of the meeting said.
As Trump hosted GOP leaders at the White House on Tuesday, the Senate continued working on its version of the bill.
"You have the Democrats on the other side who have truly become obstructionists - even their new motto: 'Resist.' And I guess it's a pretty accurate motto", he told Senate Republicans.
Trump attorney says president not under federal investigation
On Twitter Friday, Trump wrote as part of a tweet about the probe that "I am being investigated". Angus King, an independent from ME , stressed that the probe will likely last for a long time .
The most recent audit of the House bill on May 24 found it would leave 23 million Americans uninsured by 2026.
In an embarrassing retreat, Ryan had to abruptly cancel a March vote on the House measure after a revolt by Republican conservatives and moderates that would have ensured its defeat.
A Cruz confidant, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows, R-N.C., said it is a hard choice. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) have been calling on Senate leaders to maintain House-passed reforms, including a waiver that could allow insurers to charge more for people with preexisting conditions.
President Trump speaks at the White House after Obamacare replacement passes the House on May 4, 2017.
Alexander moved to cut her off, saying: "You passed the ACA in the middle of a snowstorm with 60 votes and crammed it down the throats of Republicans".
MacArthur's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump's description of the bill MacArthur helped resuscitate.
Just last weekend, Trump used his golf club in Bedminster, N.J., to hold a fundraising event for MacArthur that netted $800,000.
Trump has also vaguely suggested investing more money into the reform to make the U.S. health care system "the best anywhere", something that may throw conservative Republicans who want to use the law to reduce the budget deficit further. "I'm exhausted of Republicans promising they would repeal Obamacare and then negotiating to keep it". He cited the government's announcement Monday that some 2 million people who signed up for Obamacare have dropped out this year.
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