DeMaurice Smith Comments on Potential Impact of Obamacare Repeal on Players

President Donald Trump has sought to overhaul portions of the Affordable Care Act—commonly referred to as "Obamacare"—since taking office, but NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith is worried about what a potential repeal of the health care law could mean for members of his union.

Appearing on CBS' Face the Nation on Sunday morning, Smith broke down why he would be concerned with legislation that replaces key parts of the current law, according to The Hill's Peter Sullivan:

One of the tentpoles of the proposed repeal has been to roll back coverage for patients with pre-existing conditions. Under the Affordable Care Act, people diagnosed with pre-existing conditions can't be denied coverage.

According to the Associated Press, via the New York Times, Republicans in Congress passed a budget in early January that set a preliminary deadline of Jan. 27 for the GOP to propose a substitute health care plan.

That deadline has since passed, but the AP reported Republican lawmakers hope to draft "initial legislation by early spring."

Over the course of Super Bowl week in Houston, Smith has been outspoken regarding the potential adverse effects new legislation could have on players.

On Friday, Smith told 670 The Score he would advise against signing with the Chicago Bears if legislators in Illinois pass a law that would end workers' compensation benefits for athletes age 35 and older "unless they can prove their expected playing career would last longer than that," according to CBS Chicago's Chris Emma.

"Its only effect is to hurt people who get hurt for a living," Smith said, per Emma. "It's just cheapness. It's just being cheap."