The head of the American Medical Association is asking Congress to first spell out how they intend to replace the Affordable Care Act before repealing it.

Congressional Republicans and President-elect Donald Trump have made repeal of ACA—better known as Obamacare—one of their top priorities for the year. But there have been no details on how they plan to repeal the law, which could result in millions of people losing health insurance. Republicans also have not agreed on a plan to replace it.

In an open letter to congressional leaders, AMA CEO James Madara noted his group supported passage of the law but acknowledged it is imperfect. He alluded to the fact that ACA has led to millions of people picking up health insurance, so any changes to the law needs to ensure "that gains in the number of Americans with health insurance coverage be maintained."

"Consistent with this core principle, we believe that before any action is taken through reconciliation or other means that would potentially alter coverage, policymakers should lay out for the American people, in reasonable detail, what will replace current policies," Madara said.

"Patients and other stakeholders should be able to clearly compare current policy to new proposals so they can make informed decisions about whether it represents a step forward in the ongoing process of health reform," he added. http://bit.ly/2hTi2UN

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