WASHINGTON, Sept 9 (Reuters) – Republican presidential
candidate Mitt Romney, who has called for scrapping President
Barack Obama’s 2010 U.S. healthcare law, said in remarks aired
on Sunday that he likes key parts of “Obamacare” despite his
party’s loathing of it and wants to retain them.
Romney, who faces Obama in the Nov. 6 election, has vowed
throughout the campaign to repeal and replace the Obama
healthcare law. But asked about the Obama healthcare law on
NBC’s “Meet the Press” program, Romney said, “Well, I’m not
getting rid of all of healthcare reform.”
“Of course, there are a number of things that I like in
healthcare reform that I’m going to put in place,” Romney added.
“One is to make sure that those with pre-existing conditions can
get coverage. Two is to assure that the marketplace allows for
individuals to have policies that cover their family up to
whatever age they might like.”
The Obama healthcare law, among other provisions, prevents
insurance companies from denying medical coverage to people who
already are suffering from a medical condition. It also allows
parents to keep their young-adult children on their health
insurance plans until age 26.
The law is Obama’s signature domestic policy achievement.
Elements of the state healthcare reform plan that Romney put
in place as governor of Massachusetts served as a model for the
federal law passed by the U.S. Congress and signed by Obama in
2010 despite unified Republican opposition.
“I say we’re going to replace Obamacare. And I’m replacing
it with my own plan. And even in Massachusetts when I was
governor, our plan there deals with pre-existing conditions and
with young people,” Romney told “Meet the Press.”
On the day the Supreme Court upheld the Obama law in June,
Romney said the American people must vote the president out of
office in order to “get rid of Obamacare.” The law is the most
sweeping overhaul since the 1960s of the unwieldy U.S.
healthcare system.
The Obama law was meant to bring coverage to more than 30
million of the roughly 50 million uninsured and slow soaring
medical costs. Republicans say it meddles in the lives of
individuals and in the business of the states.
On the divisive social issue of abortion, Romney said it
“would be my preference” that the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade
ruling legalizing it be overturned by any justices who he would
appoint to the U.S. Supreme Court if vacancies come up.
“Well, there are a number of things I think that need to be
said about preserving and protecting the life of the unborn
child. And I recognize there are two lives involved: the mom and
the unborn child,” Romney said.
“And I believe that people of good conscience have chosen
different paths in this regard. But I am pro-life and will
intend, if I’m president of the United States, to encourage
pro-life policies,” he added.
