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Local congressman meets with health care workers to discuss ACA repeal

A local congressman tasked with replacing the Affordable Care Act said it will be at least 2019 before it happens.

Rep. Richard Hudson met Monday with health care workers in the Charlotte area Monday.

Hudson told Channel 9 anchor Blaine Tolison that he hopes replacing the ACA will be a bipartisan effort.

Hudson on Monday visited Novant Health's Rowan Medical Center, one of four stops that he will make this week at North Carolina hospitals to speak with administrators about rolling out a replacement to Obamacare.

"We're going to put patients in charge of their health care. We're going to take the bureaucrats out of the way and we're going to create a system that works for everybody,” Hudson said.

GOP members in both the House and Senate used their majorities last week to approve a budget resolution that paved the way to eventually repeal the ACA.

It's been a bitter fight between Republicans and Democrats.

"What would you say to people who think that this may be more about politics than health care?" Tolison asked Hudson.

"This is about people. It's not about politics,” Hudson said.

With Obamacare up in the air, Gov. Roy Cooper said he's doing everything he can by expanding Medicaid to get coverage for more North Carolinians.

"I want to get North Carolina into the best position we could possibly be in as we approach this Trump era of health care reform, whatever that is going to be,” Cooper said.

Hudson may be easing some concerns that Republicans are acting too hastily.

"We're not pulling the rug out from under them. We're going to delay the implementation of the repeal process at least until Jan.  1 of 2019 or maybe 2020," Hudson said.

Hudson said he will take his findings from area hospitals back to Washington where he'll use recommendations to help craft a replacement for Obamacare.

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