(AP)—The White House is threatening to veto a Republican bill that would shore up one part of President Barack Obama's health care law by siphoning funds from another part.
The House bill would add billions to a temporary program to help uninsured people with pre-existing medical problems. Obama's health care law requires companies to cover those people, but that provision doesn't kick in until Jan. 1. The cash-strapped program has stopped taking new applicants to ensure it doesn't run out of money.
The bill would divert the money from a public health fund. The Obama administration plans to use some of those dollars to publicize new insurance markets.
The White House says the bill would effectively repeal the public health fund. The bill is headed for a House vote Wednesday.
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