White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer commented on late night television host Jimmy Kimmel's impassioned plea to the federal government to not scale back the preexisting conditions clause outlined under the ACA.
Jimmy Kimmel detailed his son's recent birth and the discovery of his heart condition during a monologue on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Monday evening. Mr. Kimmel said his son was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia, a heart condition characterized by four related congenital heart defects. Though his son's surgery was ultimately successful, Mr. Kimmel noted the importance of preserving healthcare coverage for people with preexisting conditions.
Mr. Spicer responded to Mr. Kimmel's pleas during a press conference at the White House Tuesday, stating President Donald Trump "share[s] that concern for the Kimmels' child, as well as any child that needs care and that's frankly why the President fought so hard to improve the [healthcare] bill."
He continued: "What the President is trying to do by working with these members of Congress is to make sure that we have the strongest possible healthcare system that covers them, that gives them the care that they need, that allows them to go see a doctor, that covers preexisting conditions and does so in a way that's not going to be out of range and unaffordable for most Americans."
The House of Representatives is expected to vote on the revised American Health Care Act Thursday.