Obamacare repeal moves one step closer after US vote

US President Donald Trump declared victory on Thursday, as the Republicans narrowly pushed through a bill to repeal Barack Obama's landmark health reforms - known as Obamacare. 

The house voted 217-213 in favour of the bill, and has brought fears that millions of Americans could be left without adequate healthcare while the cost of treatment and drugs might sky rocket for others.

Trump was desperate to reverse a crushing defeat in March when an earlier version of the health care bill failed.

He made Obamacare a key issue in his election campaign and declared it a "disaster" and promised to repeal the act which gave millions of Americans healthcare coverage.

On Thursday, he was jubilant when news came through of the house's vote, declaring that Obamacare is "essentially dead". 

"We're going to finish it off and we're going to go on to a lot of other things."

As for the bill which is now halfway through Congress, Trump expressed optimism.

"We're going to get this passed through the Senate. I feel so confident."

Ditching Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act would send premiums soaring and Democrats say that Obamacare helped 20 million Americans gain health coverage.

The bill essentially barred insurers from denying policies to people with pre-existing conditions, saving thousands of lives they said.

But Republicans including Trump have campaigned relentlessly on the pledge to dismantle the 2010 reforms.

"This bill delivers on the promises that we have made to the American people," House Speaker Paul Ryan told clapping and cheering Republicans.

"A lot of us have been waiting seven years to cast this vote," he added. "End this failed experiment."