'Obamacare' sets US on a smarter, stronger course: Obama

Washington, Jun 25: President Barack Obama on Thursday said his signature health care programme which was vetted by the country's supreme court, puts the US on a smarter and stronger course.

"There can be no doubt that this law is working. It has changed, and in some cases saved, American lives. It set this country on a smarter, stronger course," Obama told reporters hours after the supreme court in a major victory for him ruled that insurance subsidies in 'Obamacare' can go to residents of any state.

"Today, after more than 50 votes in Congress to repeal or weaken this law, after a presidential election based in part on preserving or repealing this law, after multiple challenges to this law before the Supreme Court, the Affordable Care Act is here to stay," he said.

This morning, the court upheld a critical part of this law, the part that's made it easier for Americans to afford health insurance regardless of where one lives, he said.

Obama said if the partisan challenge to this law had succeeded, millions of Americans would have had thousands of dollars worth of tax credits taken from them.

For many, insurance would have become unaffordable again. Many would have become uninsured again. Ultimately, everyone's premiums could have gone up.

"America would have gone backwards, and that's not what we do, that's not what America does. We move forward,"he said.

"So, today is a victory for hard working Americans all across this country whose lives will continue to become more secure in a changing economy because of this law," he said.

Obama said his administration is going to keep working to get more people covered.

"I am going to work as hard as I can to convince more governors, state legislatures to take advantage of the law, put politics aside and expand Medicaid and cover their citizens. We still got states out there that, for political reasons, are not covering millions of people that they could be covering despite the fact that the federal government is picking up tab," he said.

"So, we've got more work to do, but what we're not going to do is unravel what has now been woven into the fabric of America. And my greatest hope is that rather than keep refighting battles that have been settled again, and again and again, I can work with Republicans and Democrats to move forward. Let's join together, make health care in America even better," Obama said.

PTI