US Democrats warn Republicans against repealing Obamacare

The new US Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, has called on the Republican-dominated Congress not to “make America sick again" by repealing the Affordable Care Act, the outgoing Democratic president’s signature healthcare reform law.

"The Republican plan to cut healthcare wouldn't 'make America great again,'" Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer told reporters on Wednesday, invoking Republican President-elect Donald Trump's campaign slogan. "It would make America sick again and lead to chaos instead of affordable care."

Earlier, P resident Barack Obama called on Democratic lawmakers to protect the healthcare law, popularly known as Obamacare, which provides coverage to millions of Americans.

And, White House Spokesman Josh Earnest said dismantling Obamacare will cause some 22 million Americans to lose their health insurance.

 He also warned about the economic consequences of scrapping the healthcare program, saying it ''would have devastating consequences for people all across the country.''

But Republicans are moving ahead with their attempt to scrap it, and President-elect Mike Pence on Wednesday went to promise that it would the "first order of business" of the Trump administration.

"The first order of business is to keep our promise to repeal Obamacare and replace it with the kind of healthcare reform that will lower the cost of health insurance without growing the size of government," Pence told a news conference.

In an interview on Tuesday, on his first day as the chamber's top Democrat, Schumer said, "Less health care and it will cost more. And it will create chaos, because you cannot repeal a plan and put nothing in its place. It doesn’t matter if you say the repeal won’t take place for year or two years.”

"Our message is not just on Obamacare. Our message is don’t cut health care," Schumer said. "Medicare. Medicaid. Obamacare."

"I’ve talked to just about every one of my colleagues," Schumer said. "Obviously they’re not going to say we won’t look at anything. But the idea of just tweaking a Republican plan that takes away these benefits, the bottom line is there is virtual unanimity in our caucus that we’re all from Missouri: Show me. If they show us a plan, and it’s a plan that we can live with, of course. But we’re not going to sit down in a room with them once they repeal and say let’s figure out a joint plan."

According to the Wall Street Journal, both chambers of the newly-sworn Congress are expected to pass the budget resolution as early as next week.

Although passing of the measure does not automatically repeal Obamcare, it sets in motion a process that will eventually abolish the 2010 healthcare act unless three or more Republican senators (or 24 representatives in the House) defect.

The law, considered Obama's top legislative achievement, has enabled over 22 million Americans who previously had no medical insurance to get coverage. Republicans condemn it as a government overreach.

During his presidential campaign, Trump said he would seek to repeal Obamacare if elected.

“Dems own the failed ObamaCare disaster, with its poor coverage and massive premium increases,” the New York businessman said in a tweet on Wednesday.