Former Mass. Governor Mitt Romney said his health reform effort in Massachusetts helped lead to the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, according to The Hill.
Mr. Romney made the comments in an interview with The Boston Globe for the obituary of Thomas Stemberg, the cofounder of Staples. Mr. Stemberg played a key role in encouraging Mr. Romney to advocate for health reform.
"Without Tom pushing it, I don't think we would have had Romneycare," Mr. Romney said. "Without Romneycare, I don't think we would have Obamacare. So, without Tom a lot of people wouldn't have health insurance."
His remarks come after his staunch disapproval of the ACA during his 2012 run for President. "Our plan was a state solution to a state problem, and [Obama's] plan is a power grab by the federal government to put a one-size-fits-all plan across the nation," Mr. Romney said in 2011.
After the interview in The Boston Globe went live, Mr. Romney issued a public statement stating his continued opposition of the ACA. "Getting people health insurance is a good thing, and that's what Tom Semberg fought for," Mr. Romney said. "I oppose Obamacare and believe it has failed. It drove up premiums, took insurance away from people who were promised otherwise and usurped state programs. As I said in the campaign, I'd repeal it and replace it with state-crafted plans."