A revised GOP healthcare bill is the 'same fundamental bill' as the first one, but it contains some significant amendments and lawmakers will likely approve it, Rep. Dave Brat said Friday.
"[Republicans] like to rely on free markets as much as we can," the Virginia Republican told CNN's "New Day" anchor Chris Cuomo.
"This is still a federal government structure. I'm not totally happy with that outcome."
The plan "at least cracks the door open" for states to opt out of some insurance regulations, said Brat, so that young people can buy affordable healthcare plans, Brat continued.
Brat said lawmakers are still waiting for the official text of the bill, but feels confident that it can be done in a week's time, explaining that the the main language, concerning pre-existing conditions and lowering premiums, is already there.
"We can all get to yes," said Brat. "That is the goal. President [Donald] Trump as good in the negotiating process. He said yes. We said yes to him."
Vice President Mike Pence also had a "great compromise" said Brat, and once the language is all hammered out, "we are a yes. We have a better healthcare system."
Brat said the "swamp" of Washington's special interests had hindered the first effort, but he clarified he did not mean that to insult members of the House moderates' "Tuesday Group."
"The press likes to put a wedge in there," said Brat. "The swamp of special interests what we are talking about. Too often policies designed to appease them instead of the American person. We are trying to reduce premiums for the average person back home, the forgotten man back home. This is about good policy."
Brat also said there are good Medicaid reforms contained in the new bill, as the "primary onus is fixing the system in the ditch."
"Obamacare is in the death spiral," said Brat. "Now Anthem is threatening to leave some states, and then you may not have any health care. It is in the ditch right now. We're trying to fix it."
He also denied that Republicans are trying to cut people off Medicaid roles, but are working on a plan to make a product affordable so more can be insured.
"Right now, everyone may have Obamacare," he said. "There is an $11,000 deductible on the bronze plan. The average American according to the study, they have $400 in the bank in savings. How does an American pay for an $11,000 deductible?
"They don't. They have the glitzy policy you talk about, but no health care."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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