President, Pence harden Obamacare battle lines

Senate minority leader says repealing the act will 'make America sick again'

Hardening battle lines for the brawl to come, US President Barack Obama urged congressional Democrats to "look out for the American people" in defending his legacy healthcare overhaul, while vice-president-elect Mike Pence stood firm on Wednesday in telling Republicans that dismantling "Obamacare" is No 1 on Donald Trump's list.

"We're going to be in the promise-keeping business," Pence declared at two separate Capitol news conferences. Just 16 days before Trump takes over the Oval Office, he said repealing and replacing Obama's law will be the president-elect's "first order of business".

"The American people voted decisively for a better future for healthcare in this country, and we are determined to give them that," Pence said.

Outnumbered in the new Congress, Democrats didn't sound confident in stopping the Republicans cold but signaled they wouldn't make the GOP's job any easier. New Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, said that if the Republicans do scuttle the healthcare law, they will have to come up with a replacement plan before Democrats consider whether to help them revamp the system.

"They're repealing, we're not. It's their obligation to come up with a replacement," Schumer said, a sentiment he said he believed Democrats shared unanimously.

Obama and Pence held dueling strategy sessions with lawmakers at the Capitol as the new Republican-led Congress commenced its drive to dissolve the healthcare statute.

The 2010 overhaul, which has extended coverage to 20 million people and reshaped the nation's $3 trillion-a-year healthcare system, has long stood as one of Obama's proudest triumphs and the ascendant GOP's top target for extinction.

Insults traded

The two sides traded insults through the day.

"Don't let the Schumer clowns out of this web," Trump said on Twitter.

Schumer said: "The Republican plan to cut healthcare wouldn't make America great again, it would make America sick again."

Previewing an attack line sure to be heard again in this year's debate, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said the GOP is aiming to also scuttle Medicaid and Medicare, going after programs that are "very personal in the lives of the American people".

Even with White House and congressional control, annulling "Obamacare" and replacing it looms as a daunting task for the GOP.

Leaders hope to have legislation voiding much of the law on Trump's desk by late next month, Republicans said. But after six years of failing to unite behind an alternative, GOP leaders are discussing postponing when repeal would take effect for 18 months or longer, allowing more time to craft replacement legislation.

Underscoring the law's widespread constituency, the Obama administration said at least 8.8 million people signed up through Dec 31 for coverage in 2017. Even so, outside experts doubt the administration will meet its nationwide target of 13.8 million sign-ups.