Rep. LaMalfa: Work to repeal Obamacare will continue

March 24--Northern California Congressman Doug LaMalfa says he will keep working toward repealing the Affordable Care Act, a.k.a. Obamacare, after a bill to put a new system into place was pulled Friday before the House could vote on it.

The American Health Care Act, which would have repealed the Affordable Care Act, was pulled from the U.S. House floor Friday afternoon after House Speaker Paul Ryan acknowledged that bill did not have enough votes to pass.

"Obamacare is the law of the land," Ryan said, according to USA Today. "It's going to remain the law of the land."

The "setback was not a victory for anyone," said LaMalfa, R-Richvale.

"This bill did not come together for now," he said.

LaMalfa said in a written statement he remains "committed to working to repeal the Affordable Care Act and replacing it." The replacement would offer more choices at lower costs, he said.

The American Health Care Act would have removed the ACA's individual mandate, which fines those who don't have qualified health insurance. In its place, it would have allowed insurers to temporarily hike rates on people who didn't maintain continuous coverage.

It was touted as the Republicans' small-government alternative to the ACA but was widely panned, especially after the Congressional Budget Office analysis found it would lead to increased premiums on older Americans and more uninsured people than the ACA.

President Donald Trump had given his Capitol Republican colleagues a deadline of Friday to pass the American Health Care Act or the ACA would remain the law.

LaMalfa had supported repealing the ACA for years.

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"Now, Congress has the opportunity to repeal this law and replace it with something better -- something that works for all Americans and returns decision-making to the patient," he said in a Jan. 13 statement.

LaMalfa represents Shasta, Tehama and Siskiyou counties in addition to other Northern California areas.

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