It’s Now or Never, Demanding House Vote on Health Bill -<br />By JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS, ROBERT PEAR and THOMAS KAPLANMARCH 23, 2017<br />WASHINGTON — President Trump issued an ultimatum on Thursday to recalcitrant Republicans to fall in line behind a broad health insurance overhaul<br />or see their opportunity to repeal the Affordable Care Act vanish, demanding a Friday vote on a bill that appeared to lack a majority to pass.<br />At a White House meeting with members of the hard-line Freedom Caucus earlier on Thursday, Mr. Trump had agreed to the conservatives’ demands to strip<br />federal health insurance requirements for basic benefits such as maternity care, emergency services, mental health and wellness visits from the bill.<br />“We have a great bill, and I think we have a good chance, but it’s only politics,” Mr. Trump said earlier Thursday, as it was becoming clear<br />that his negotiating efforts had failed to persuade enough members of his party to back the plan — which was years in the making — to repeal and replace the health law.<br />“So if Republicans are serious about lowering costs while expanding coverage to those who need it, and if they’re prepared to work with Democrats and objective evaluators in finding solutions<br />that accomplish those goals — that’s something we all should welcome.”<br />The Affordable Care Act requires insurers to provide “essential health benefits” in 10 broad categories, including maternity<br />care, mental health care, addiction treatment, preventive services, emergency services and rehabilitative services.<br />The demand, issued by his budget director, Mick Mulvaney, in an evening meeting with House Republicans, came after a marathon day of negotiating at the White House<br />and in the Capitol in which Mr. Trump — who has boasted of his deal-making prowess — fell short of selling members of his own party on the health plan.
