Affordable Care Act faces repeal under Trump administration

NEW YORK (WABC) -- During the final week of his campaign, President-Elect Donald Trump vowed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.

And now with control of both houses of Congress and the presidency, Republicans may finally get the chance.

"Nobody can snap their finger and make it happen in a day a month or even a year. These things take time," said Peter Pitts, President of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest.

Pitts is also the former FDA associate commissioner.

While some experts predict key parts will be dismantled ultimately leading to a collapse, he believes Republicans will instead perform a major overhaul of key parts.

"I don't have a crystal ball. But I would feel comfortable predicting is that what you're going to see in a couple of months under the Trump administration is a plan that provides more options through less government," Pitts said.

All in all more than 20 million Americans may lose or be priced out of their current health coverage, people like Rachel Beddle whose son has a chronic illness.

She says the Affordable Care Act is far from perfect, but it's a step in the right direction.

"But to say we're just going to blow it up and just start all over again is unrealistic," Beddle said.

While there's a lot of gray area here, experts point out certain parts can't be affected such as the inability of insurers to deny people based on a preexisting condition.

Mike Proto with Americans for Prosperity points to many health care casualties.

"The Affordable Care Act is not affordable and not care. We see all across the country that families are being crushed by Obamacare. They're being faced with fewer choices because most of the coops around the country collapsed," Proto said.

The one point most can agree on, is repealing the Affordable Care Act is more complicated than it looks.

Open enrollment is going on right now for millions of Americans.