Republican plan to repeal Obamacare draws fire from left and right

After vowing to repeal the Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act since its passage in 2010, Republicans in the House of Representatives Monday 6 March submitted a long awaited replacement bill1 that has a chance of passage, now that the Republicans have gained control of both chambers of Congress and the presidency.

“It’s time to turn a page and rescue our healthcare system from this disastrous law,” said House speaker Paul Ryan, a Republican from Wisconsin, who said that the new plan would “drive down costs, encourage competition, and give every American access to quality, affordable health insurance.”

But the bill was immediately denounced by Democrats, who said that it would increase the number of people without insurance, and by conservatives, including members of the Republican party, who said that it still allows too much government intrusion into the US healthcare system.

Since the passage of the 2010 law, often called Obamacare, Republicans in Congress have voted more than 50 times to repeal or …