Former President Barack Obama reportedly told a private group Thursday that Obamacare was "more popular than the current president."

"The Affordable Care Act has never been more popular — and it's more popular than the current president," Obama said at an event hosted by the A&E cable network in New York City, an attendee afterward told CNN.

Obama was interviewed by historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, according to the report.

Noting Republican efforts to repeal and replace his signature domestic legislative achievement, Obama reportedly told the crowd that legislators were confronting the reality that many of their most-vulnerable constituents have benefited from Obamacare.

House leaders said Thursday that a vote on a revised healthcare bill would most likely occur next week after Speaker Paul Ryan twice pulled the American Health Care Act from consideration last month because of strong opposition from the conservative House Freedom Caucus.

Obama's appearance Thursday followed Monday's speech at the University of Chicago — and he has come under fire for accepting $400,000 to speak at a Wall Street healthcare conference in September.

A representative declined to tell CNN Thursday whether and how much Obama was paid to speak at the A&E event in Manhattan.